


road work ahead

by stagemanager



Category: Aladdin (2019)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Be Careful What You Wish For, Drama, F/M, Family, Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-05-13 02:11:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19241710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stagemanager/pseuds/stagemanager
Summary: (Takes place after the 2019 live-action film.)Family life can sometimes be difficult, especially when you used to be a phenomenal, cosmic being with a very interesting living situation.





	1. hi welcome to agrabah

For a being that once spent thousands of years trapped inside an oil lamp, he’s a pretty good parent. He hopes he is, at least. He doesn’t really have someone he can compare himself to, and he certainly didn’t have experience working with children prior to all this. Résumé isn’t as polished as it could be, y’know? Still, Dahlia assures him every time that he is doing a good job. So he’s pretty sure he’s doing okay.

For two kids being raised by a former _djinni_ and royal handmaiden on a boat in the middle of the ocean, Omar and Lian are surprisingly well-adjusted. It seems that, despite the little nagging fear that any wish of his could never happen, his happily ever after with Dahlia is coming true.

And as their boat docks at the busy port, he stands and sees the man— _friend_ —who made all of this possible.

“Gen—uh… _Kahil!_ So good to see you!” The prince consort greets, only lapsing into the habit for a moment. The small slip does not bother the mariner, and he responds with a beaming smile. Even after all these years, the kid’s default setting is still stuck on his old epithet. He supposes he’ll let Al off the hook for this  _egregious_  crime.

“I’m so glad that you finally decided to visit. I take it that your voyages have been going well? Dahlia, _Kahil_?” Sultana Jasmine asks, throwing a bit of emphasis—and side-eye, Kahil notes—on the second name. It’s obvious that the two royals have talked about this a couple of times since him and Dahlia have asked to keep the whole ‘previously phenomenal cosmic entity thing’ a secret to avoid attention. Aladdin has the courtesy to look sheepish.

“Oh yeah, definitely,” Genie-but-will-also-respond-to-Kahil answers. He casts a quick glance at his last master and decides to capitalize on the kid’s embarrassment. “You might even say that it was everything we could have _wished_ for.”

He can almost see the kid squirm. A beat. Sahel and Sadiq blink. Prince Aziz looks up at the two adults, trying to find the door to the inside of this joke. “I don’t get it.” The young boy comments, puzzlement on his face. “What’s so funny about the word ‘wished’? It’s just a—“

“Okay!” Aladdin cuts in, interrupting his son’s audible thought process. Hypocrite. “Why don’t we go back to the palace? Everyone’s tired and it’s really hot this time of year! Hakim!”

Even after they have mounted the camels and headed off for the palace, the sight of Al’s embarrassed expression turns the corners of his mouth up into a smile.

* * *

The first thing that Dahlia does when once they arrive at the palace, is politely excuse herself to take a bath. Kahil gives her a quick kiss before she goes, telling her that he will be waiting for her at dinner. While their boat is wonderful—it’s everything he could have wanted—it is unfortunately lacking in the bath department. With the wisdom and understanding that only comes from years of camaraderie, the sultana grants his wife’s request and orders a bath drawn at once. She even instructs the servants to prepare some lavender water, and Kahil swears he can see Dahlia’s entire mood shift. Ooh, spa day, honey. See you later!

Once Dahlia disappears down the hall, a servant guiding her way, Kahil turns to Jasmine and asks if she still has that vermillion and gold dress from the harvest celebration years ago. The sultana responds with a knowing grin, and immediately answers with a "Will do!". However, as she is in the process of directing another servant, a glint appears in her eyes.

“If she’s going to wear that dress, you have to wear the blue outfit.” Jasmine proposes. _Ah. I see what you doin’, girl._

Kahil knows better than to mess with a sultana, and so he bows and instructs the kids to follow.

Dinner is a private and informal affair, despite the lavish clothing everyone wears. As informal as a royal one can be, at any rate. Jasmine does not mess around when it comes to food, and _oh is that baklava?_ Ooh, you better pass that here right now.

Lian and Omar’s eyes are bulging as much as their stomachs as they gulp down bite after bite. Dahlia looks to be somewhere between disgusted and uncomfortable—years of experience as the princess’s handmaiden rearing their head, no doubt—but she does not reprimand them. Instead, his lovely blossom flips the scene into a learning experience and reminds the children to thank their gracious hosts for the food and drink.

See folks, _that’s_ why he married her.

Somehow, between the delicious food and endless stories—Jasmine and Aziz are incredibly curious about where they’ve gone, while Lian and Omar are begging for a ride on the rumored magic carpet—the meal is able to come to a close. The servants step forward and clear off the tables, and the families begin to break off into their little units for bed. However, before Kahil can join his wife and the yawning kids back to their rooms, Aladdin suddenly calls his name—the _correct_ one, this time.

“Can I talk to you for a second?” The man asks, a hint of hesitation coloring his words. Abu has vacated his usual post, and instead perches on Aziz’s shoulder. The mariner hesitates for a moment, eyes drifting to his wife.

“Go. I’ll take the children to bed.” Dahlia responds, smiling back at him. A quick kiss and goodbye, and she walks into the hall with the allegedly _not-tired_ Lian and Omar in tow. Likewise, the royal family and the two deckhands bid their goodnights and exit to their chambers.

The former _djinni_ of the lamp follows his former master to the palace courtyard. Aladdin sits down on the edge of the fountain, and Kahil does the same. The two men sit in silence for a moment, simply taking in the sights and sounds of the Arabian night.

“Not that I don’t like hanging out with you, but I’m guessing you didn’t bring me out here just to look at the sky.” Kahil states quietly, breaking the silence. “‘Cause I’ve got a bed with my name on it, and if this doesn’t go anywhere, I’m dipping.”

The lack of any reaction on Aladdin’s face at the threat of him leaving testifies to their friendship, but also reveals how important the issue must be. “Genie…” the kid begins, and yeah, it’s _serious_ , he’s using the g-word and his big boy voice. “I just wanted to give you this.”

Aladdin reaches into his vest and pulls out a small cloth-covered bundle. Slowly, he unwraps the ivory fabric, revealing shining metal.

“I know you have every right to hate this thing, but I… Well, I just figured you should at least get a chance to decide what happens to it. It _was_ yours.”

Gingerly, Kahil reaches forward and picks the uncovered object up. The gold surface of the lamp feels slippery and heavy in his hands. His voice is strangely slurred when he speaks.

“When did you…?”

“After I wished you free, I still had the lamp. I’ve kept it all this time, because I… Well...” Aladdin drifts off, rubbing at the back of his neck. “Well, it’s nice. And I’ve been on the streets too long to know that you don’t just throw or give away something that valuable.”

Genie places the lamp back down on the fountain, the metal clinking against the stone. He takes in a breath.

“Aw, you didn’t have to do that! Thanks, kid!” He slaps the man on the back, making Aladdin recoil slightly.

“Uh, sure. No problem.”

Genie begins to wrap the lamp back up in the ivory shawl. It is a hasty gesture, and the covering ends up less neat than Aladdin’s handiwork.

“So what are you going to—”

“Goodnight!” Kahil declares suddenly, a smile plastered to his face. He stands and ducks back into the palace, the wrapped lamp clutched in his hands.

“Goodnight?” Aladdin replies after a moment, staring into the now-empty corridor.

* * *

 After being married for over ten years, he shouldn’t be surprised when Dahlia instantly sees through his smile.

His wife stands a split second after he enters the room. She is walking over to him before he can even say anything. “What’s wrong?”

“Are the kids asleep?” he inquires, eyes drifting around.

A puzzled look appears on the former handmaiden’s face. “Yes, but what does that—”

“Aladdin gave me the lamp.”

A beat. “Oh, _habibi_ ,” Dahlia begins. “I’m sure he didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.” She guides her husband to a nearby chair, coaxing him to sit. His fingers are still wrapped around the lamp, his expression unsure.

“Y’know, the funny thing is that I’m not even upset. Just… _confused_. _Indifferent_ maybe? _Should_ I be upset?”

“Not necessarily.”

The former _djinni_ makes a thoughtful sound. For several moments, the husband and wife sit in silence, simply wading through everything. Finally, Dahlia places one of her hands on top of Kahil’s, squeezing his hand tenderly. The gesture makes him pause, and he looks into her brown eyes, finding only understanding and kindness within them. “Well, what would you like to do?” She asks softly. 

“In all honesty,” Kahil says, sighing weakly. He places the lamp on a nearby table, and turns to Dahlia with a small smile on his face. “A bath and nap would be really great right about now.”

His wife beams back at him, her hand drawing gentle circles on his back. “I’ll have it drawn at once,” she states, getting up and heading towards the bath. Kahil looks up at her, slightly confused.

“The servants are that way,” he mentions, pointing to the door.

“I know,” Dahlia responds. “Consider it a favor. You still owe me for that incident in Galifem.”

Kahil grin widens. “Then I suppose we’re even now, your majesty.” The former _djinni_ announces, before grabbing his wife for a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, first and foremost, I do not own the film Aladdin or its characters. My sincerest apologies for any OOC moments. I’m going off my memory of the movie and well, no one will smiths like Will Smith. So yeah. Anyways. Notes below:  
> This story takes place after the opening with Genie’s family on the boat, when they actually arrive in Agrabah. I’m going with the route that yes, the story the mariner tells is a real thing that happened and that the mariner is the Genie of the Lamp. No “oh, it’s just a random story some guy tells his kids”. I’m assuming that it’s the kids first time hearing the story, meaning that they don’t know about the whole ‘dad used to be a genie’ thing.  
> Genie never gets a ‘real name’ in the animated or live-action canon, so I gave him one. Kahil, which is the character’s name in Fan-of-Insert-Sues’s The Genie and the Djann. I picked this name because one, it doesn’t seem right to keep calling him “Genie” when he’s trying to live a normal life, and two, the -hil sounds vaguely like Will. Kahil means friend or lover, which is fitting.  
> In the Aladdin television series, Genie—who still has his powers and hangs out with Al even after being freed—hides from civilians because he fears been used for evil again. I figured that the live-action Genie, who doesn’t have his powers would still have that same fear because let’s face it, 10,000 years trapped and enslaved would mess with anyone’s mind.  
> The name “Aziz” for Aladdin and Jasmine’s son comes from Disney’s Descendants, which is one of the inspirations for this work.  
> We never see what happens to the lamp after Genie is freed. In the animated series, Genie ends up keeping it and still uses it as a ‘mobile home’ of sorts.  
> Galifem is a reference to a kingdom in Aladdin: The Animated Series.  
> The correct term for “genie” in Arabic is actually djinni. Djinn is plural. In this story, ‘Genie’ is the character and djinni is the species(?).  
> Sahel and Sadiq are the two deckhands on Kahil’s boat, seen at the beginning of the live-action film. Like Omar and Lian, they don’t know about the whole genie thing. Their names come from Genie and Aladdin’s counterparts in Disney’s UniBEARsity merchandise line.


	2. can i get a waffle?

As a former handmaiden to the princess, Dahlia was used to waking up early. Often times, on the sea, she was the first of the family to wake. The kids were never morning people, and her husband’s habit of doing more than he should meant that mornings could be difficult for him.

This morning however, she abstains from rousing him. He needs this.

After going through her normal morning routine, she proceeds to exit their chambers. Before leaving however, she gives a quick kiss to her husband’s cheek.

“Sleep well, dear.”

Unlike last night’s dinner, breakfast is truly a simple affair. The sultan is already sipping a cup of tea, her heir and loyal tiger by her side. Dahlia drags her sleepy son and daughter to the table, sitting opposite of the sultan and directing her children to eat. Omar groans loudly, a childish noise that makes the rest of the group laugh.

The meal proceeds in a comfortable silence, the sounds of dishes and cups clinking. The prince consort emerges after a while, hair still slightly messy and Abu resting on his shoulder. The chorus of morning salutations sounds, and he takes a seat diagonal from his wife and son as a servant girl pours more tea. 

“Lian, could you please wake your father for me?” Dahlia instructs, a few moments after Aladdin has sat down. The former street rat sits up a little straighter, his hand freezing in its circles atop Rajah’s head.

“Yes, Mama,” her daughter responds. Jasmine watches the child exit before politely dismissing the servant from the room. Then, she turns to her best friend, a mischievous look on her face.

“So, what sort of trouble has your husband gotten into recently?”

* * *

His daughter catches him pacing inside the room, mumbling to himself and trying to sort his chaotic thoughts out loud. She only stares at him for ten seconds, before finally asking him to come down for breakfast.

Yep, not embarrassing at all. Nope.

When he arrives at the breakfast table, Dahlia beckons him over. His wife has moved to sit next to the sultana, leaving the only vacant seat beside Aladdin. She—and Jasmine, he notices with some trepidation—have that sparkle in their eyes, the one that only lights up before a woman hands down her personal judgment on someone. Him and Aladdin share a look, the two men knowing fully well that their wives are not to be trifled with.

“ _So_ ,” Jasmine begins, and _oh yeah_ , Al’s already writing his obituary. The three children—and Abu—look at each other, and collectively decide in that moment to extricate themselves from the situation. “How was your evening stroll last night?”

Now, as a previous captive of the lamp and Cave of Wonders, Kahil is accustomed to silence. The transfer period between masters sometimes lasted years, _centuries_ even, and he was forced to simply live with the quiet isolation. It’s why he has the unfortunate skill of talking to himself. But even all those years of solitude did not prepare him for the silence that follows Jasmine’s query. Dahlia exacerbates the situation with her decision to sip her tea. The trivial noise sounds like a bomb exploding.

“It was nice.” The prince consort responds, after a beat.

“Anything interesting?”

“No.”

The sultana makes a satisfied sound. Dahlia coughs and takes another sip of her tea. “I see. Well, as long as nothing happened, then there’s no point in dwelling on it.” Jasmine turns to her best friend, smiling at her. “Are the rooms to your liking?”

_Wait. Hold on. She knows, Dahlia knows, and we’re just moving on now?_

Next to him, Aladdin wears the same confused expression. Wordlessly, the two men exchange silent apologies before agreeing to move on. In hindsight, the whole thing wasn’t that big of a deal. Sure, it was kind of disappointing that Al hid this from him, but he’s a good kid. If anything, the lamp will make a great paperweight since computers haven't quite been mass-produced yet.

“Everything’s perfect. Thank you, Jasmine.” Dahlia answers politely. She throws a hasty glare at her husband. “I’m sure the rest of my family is as grateful as I am.” Oh, _okay_ , girl. I see the game you playing.

“Yes, _thank you_ , my sultan, for your generosity in helping a poor seafaring family.” Kahil adds, grinning and lowering his voice slightly. He manages a bow while sitting, embellishing the action with a flourish. “Agrabah has never been ruled by such a kind and generous monarch, Sultan Jasmine.”

The sultana rolls her eyes at the gesture, but her smile is sincere in its mirth. “It’s wonderful to know that your skills at flattery have not improved since the day we met, Kahil. But be careful: if you keep praising me like that, your wife may suspect you of having an affair. And there is no song or dance in the world that will save you from her wrath then.” 

The room breaks into light laughter, any leftover tension draining out of the room. Kahil spins to face his wife, beaming. “My deepest apologizes, my queen. Whatever can I do to regain your forgiveness?”

The woman returns his smile. “Well,” she starts, leaning forward. “You can start by—”

Dahlia does not finish her statement, breaking into a coughing fit mid-sentence. Her husband’s grin drops and he jumps to his feet.

“Are you okay? Do you need something to drink?” Kahil asks, now kneeling by her side.

“I don’t—”. Another cough. Kahil snatches a cup for her, but she continues speaking. “I don’t know _why_ I’m coughing. I felt fine when I woke up.”

“Maybe it was something you ate.”

Dahlia’s coughing persists. “I don’t think it was the food. Something… Something else…” She gasps out, breaking into another fit. “Dear, I don’t feel well…” The former handmaiden whispers, before closing her eyes and leaning against her husband.

“Honey? _Dahlia?_ ” Kahil exclaims, shaking his wife.

“‘ _M fine, ‘m fine…_ ” The woman mumbles. Her husband releases a sigh.

“Jasmine, what kind of tea is this?” Aladdin suddenly questions, holding up one of the teacups. He is staring intensely at the liquid.

“Black tea. Why?”

“There are leaves at the bottom of the cups.”

Jasmine lifts up a cup as well, inspecting its contents. There is a brief moment before the sultana speaks.

“ _Someone’s poisoned the tea._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That’s a twist. That’s very twisty. Anyways, notes and apologies for OOC moments.  
> Habibi means my love. Yes, I’m a terrible person.  
> In both the animated and live-action movies, Genie makes references to things/concepts/people that don’t exist at that point in time. Part of my headcanon about his and Dahlia’s family life is that he sometimes says things that nobody else understands, and they just learn to roll with it. Basically, a dad making references that his kids (and wife) don’t understand.  
> While the correct term to use would be “sultana”, Jasmine is never referred to as such. Instead, she is still called “sultan”. I decided to use the two terms interchangeably here.


	3. when there's too much drama at breakfast

For the first time since in over ten thousand years, he wishes for something other than his freedom.

Jasmine mobilizes the entire royal guard to find the culprit and defend the palace’s inhabitants. She and Aladdin deduce that the crime was an inside job, an inference that sets the entire palace on edge. Dipping into his street rat skills, Aladdin guesses that the offender must be a servant who served the morning meal, as the tea would have already been tested at that point. This conclusion narrows the pool of suspects considerably, and eventually, Hakim and the guards imprison a young girl who Jasmine recognizes as the tea server from the fateful breakfast.

Kahil remembers hearing that the girl’s name is “Sadira”, and that she was a supporter of Jafar. It doesn’t matter to him. Nothing really does except Dahlia getting better. It’s been over a day since she’s been poisoned, and even though they’ve found the culprit, he feels like a millennium has rushed by.

If the kids hadn’t left the room, if they hadn’t been so engrossed in a conversation, then somebody else would be laying on that bed. It could have been Omar, Lian, maybe even _all_ of them.

When Aladdin asks how long until the poison is fatal, the girl answers that it takes three days. Nearly a _day_ has passed by since Dahlia drank that tea.

They have two days. _Two days_ to save his wife, the mother of his children, before she slips away into oblivion forever.

According to the little witch, the antidote comes from a rare yellow flower that grows in Shirabad. Immediately, Aladdin accuses her of lying, sending them out on a fool’s errand. A trip to the country would take over a month, and there are millions of flowers to examine. But the sultana simply raises a hand, and leads her husband out of the room.

The girl will pay for her crimes, Jasmine assures him. Attempting to kill the sultan and her family is treason, and therefore punishable by death. The thought does not bring Kahil any form of comfort. All he can think about is his wife, and how fragile she looks balancing on the edge of oblivion. She is drifting in and out of consciousness, and each time her eyes close he fears the worst. Every moment he has spent by her side, caring for her and trying to help her in any way.

It isn’t until Aladdin comes into the room, face steeled and voice firm, that he finally leaves.

His children are crying, and he has abandoned them to face their fears alone.

He’s a horrible father.

* * *

With a grunt, Lian slams the book shut. This is the fortieth book that she has looked through, and still she is nowhere near to figuring out what—or where—the yellow flower is. Exhausted and stressed, Lian throws the book against the wall. The tome lands with a loud thud, the cover splayed open.

She can’t do this anymore. Her mama is dying, her brother is hiding, and her baba is falling apart from the inside. They should have never come here, she _hates_ this place, _hates_ Agrabah.

Somewhere in the midst of trying to tame her mind’s chaos, Lian paces into the courtyard. The sounds of the city at night are deafening, and force her to pause. She sits down on the fountain’s edge, dipping a hand absentmindedly into the water and playing with the water lilies.

“Lian? 

At the sound of her name, the girl suddenly bolts upright. Who’s there? 

“Omar? You're supposed to be asleep.”

The boy in question takes a seat by his sister. While the two siblings sit close to each other, there is a space between them.

“Mama is going to die, isn’t she?” Omar asks quietly, breaking the silence. In that moment, Lian’s emotions boil over, and she grabs her brother close. 

“No, no. She’s not going to die. Mama is strong, she’s going to get better.” Lian answers breathlessly. Her arms are wrapped tightly around her brother, as if letting him go means his death as well. “The sultan is looking for the cure right now.”

“But they won’t find it in time,” her little brother whispers. Lian feels moisture on her arms, and she doesn’t know if it’s Omar’s tears or hers.

She has been looking through books nonstop, and she still hasn’t found any new clues about the mysterious flower. But she can’t bring herself to tell the truth to her brother.

One of the earliest lessons Baba taught her, and here she is ignoring it.

“They will. I promise.” Lian finally utters. She isn’t sure who she is trying to convince. 

“Your sister’s right,” a voice unexpectedly declares. The two siblings instantly turn in the direction of the sound.

 “Baba?” Omar questions. “What are you doing here?”

The man in question joins them on the edge of the fountain, sitting to the right of his son. Even in the low light, Lian quickly notices the redness in her father’s eyes.

“I came to see you two.”

Lian studies her father’s face. The expression is not one she is used to seeing: sorrow, brokenness, and fear. “Is Mama okay?” Her voice wavers.

Baba looks up, eyes empty and unfocused. “She’s holding on.” _But for how long?_ is the question that goes unsaid.

“Did they find the cure yet?” Omar abruptly questions. He sounds so small.

Her father hesitates before responding. “Not yet.”

“ _Oh._ ” And just like that, Lian can see her brother’s light get smaller at that those two words. The word _yet_ gives the impression that the cure is a when, and not an if. “Maybe I can help.” Omar suggests, after a moment. He’s clinging to hope. “Where does the cure come from?” 

Baba gives a small smile at her brother’s words. He drapes an arm around Omar’s shoulders. “It comes from a rare yellow flower that grows in Shirabad. Jazz… _Sultan_ Jasmine says that it is most likely a flower that only grows in one part of the country.” 

“But Shirabad is so big, and there are so many yellow flowers. How do you find the right one?”

“Well,” Baba begins, his smile faltering slightly. “That’s why we need all the help we can get. Especially from you, little man.” He pulls Omar into a hug, before looking to his daughter. “Did you find anything, Lian?”

The girl lowers her gaze. “No, Baba.”

“...It’s okay.”

It’s not okay.

“What about those really expensive tea flowers that Mama tried in Shamar? The woman said that they come from one garden in Shirabad.” The youngest of the family is bolts upright, looking forward. “And they were yellow, too.”

Lian and her father look at Omar, then at each other. A fragile connection is forming, molding thought into action. “The merchant said that the tea could be used to treat illness,” Lian adds. “And _poisoning_.”

The bridge reaches the other side of the river. “What was the name of that garden?” Baba asks. His eyes are clear and focused. He’s flying blind, there’s no chance this could be it, but if there’s even a glimmer of hope here, _he has to act_.

“Amarit Gardens _._ But how are you going to get there and back in two days? It’s impossible.”

Her father stands. His gaze is piercing, dancing with conviction and determination. “Usually it is. But there are other ways to travel.”

* * *

 “I’m coming with you,” Kahil announces, stepping into the room. Everyone immediately turns to him, wearing various degrees of puzzlement.

“Kahil,” Aladdin begins, and _oh,_ you’re using _that_ name, huh? “You can’t come.”

The former _djinni_ stands firm. “I am coming.” It is fact, not a suggestion.

The prince consort comes forward, his hands raised in what he guesses is supposed to be a friendly gesture. It’s not. “Look. I understand that you—” 

“No, I don’t think _you_ understand the words that are coming out of my mouth right now. I AM coming with you to Shirabad!”

Aladdin marches in front of him, his expression stern. “I know we’re only going to this one place, but who knows what we’re walking into? People don’t really like it when you just drop in unannounced.”

“ _Really?_ Well, okay then, _Prince Ali_.”

Aladdin huffs, stepping back and drawing in a breath. “I’m just saying that this could be dangerous. You aren’t…” He leans in slightly, lowering his voice to a whisper. “...an all-powerful  _djinni_ anymore. You could get hurt.”

“Yeah, and my wife will DIE. There is a difference.”

The former thief pauses. He looks at Abu and Carpet, resting on the bed. The monkey stares at him with a weary expression, and neither of the two say a word. Aladdin sighs. “Alright. But Jasmine has to give the okay.”

“Since when have you cared about royals and their decrees?”

“Since I married one. Go pack your bag.”

Smart man.

* * *

Both Omar and Lian are in the room, sitting by their mother. Seeing his expression, Sahel and Sadiq nod and quietly step out of the room, understanding on their faces. 

Wordlessly, Kahil crosses and joins his children at the bedside.

“Are you going with Prince Aladdin?” Lian asks quietly.

Kahil does not say anything; instead, he gives her a small nod. The action instantly upsets his daughter.

“And we’re not allowed to go?”

The former _djinni_ pauses. He knows exactly where this is going and how this will end. Lian is wearing her mother’s ‘I’m disappointed in you face’, and Omar looks like he is going to cry. Wanting to face the two children, Kahil kneels on the floor in front of them.

“No. But that’s because I need you two to do something very important for me.”

“What?” Lian responds flatly. Her brother’s expression is colored by confusion.

“Prince Aladdin and I are leaving the palace, and that means that I won’t be able to take care of Mama. I need you and your brother to stay here and do that for me. _Promise?_ ” 

The two children—they’re _not_ children, they’ve seen too much—stare forward, eyes completely focused on him. Kahil reciprocates their gaze, allowing them to peer down into his soul. They need to know that he’s sincere.

Slowly, the two heads nod. Kahil smiles. “Thank you.” He leans forward to embrace his children, kissing the tops of their heads.

“Is Lian in charge?” His youngest asks. The child looks so very disappointed. Kahil kisses the boy’s forehead.

“No. The sultan is. Please listen to her, okay?” He shifts his focus to the other child in his arms. “That pertains to you as well, princess.”

Lian does not say a word. Kahil pulls her and Omar in for another hug and kiss. 

“No matter what happens, always remember that Mama and I love you.” He assures, stealing a glance at the woman lying in the bed. He squeezes her hand gently. The tears in his eyes are blurring his vision. “It’s going to be okay.”

His son shifts in his arms, watery eyes looking upward. “Promise us you’ll come back.”

There is a beat before Kahil responds. A hesitation. Why is he hesitating, don’t hesitate, everything will be _fine_. Nothing is going to happen.

_You wouldn’t be in this situation if you still had your magic._

Shut up.

“I promise,” the former _djinni_ replies, certainty in his voice “And when I get back, I’ll tell you two a story.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, an angsty chapter. How surprising.  
> In Hinduism, amarit is the elixir of immortality.  
> Shamar is a reference for all you Sonic fans.  
> Kahil calling Jasmine ‘Jazz’ is a reference to DJ Jazzy Jeff, a name that Will Smith fans should immediately recognize.


	4. we're going on a trip in our favorite carpet ship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: There is some profanity in this chapter. You have been warned.

While he is elated to be free of the form, Kahil admits that the ability to fly and teleport was one of his favorite perks of being a _djinni_.

Despite the speed at while Carpet is flying—time is of the utmost essence here—the flight to Shirabad is relatively smooth. Still, Kahil wishes that they could be there faster. _Stop wishing, nobody’s gonna grant it for you._ In an attempt to distract himself from the situation, the anxious father watches the ground below them, the land blurring into smears of color. The sight is disorientating, but at least it is something _else_.

At one point during the ride, Aladdin tries to engage in some casual conversation. The man’s mere effort in attempting to lift his mood is admirable, but all Kahil can manage are terse and short answers. Sorry, kid. 

After what seems like an eternity, the travelers reach their destination. Having learned his lesson from Jafar—people don’t just casually fly around on magic carpets—Aladdin directs Carpet to land in a forested area near the entrance of the fenced garden, and the group disembark from there. However, before Abu can climb to his typical perch, Aladdin turns to the fez-wearing monkey and instructs him to stay with Carpet. _In case anything goes wrong_ , are the words that go unsaid. Kahil tries not to think about that possibility.

“The garden is straight ahead.”

“Yeah, yeah, I got that.”

The two men hike in relative silence to their destination, the only sound being the rustling leaves. Aladdin stares at the gate with a critical eye, probably wondering whether or not it would just be easier to steal the flowers. Eventually, the two travelers cross the threshold and enter the garden.

“Now where do you think this yellow flower is?” The former thief whispers, dissecting his surroundings.

“No idea.” Kahil admits, brutally honest. “We could start looking in the center of the garden, and then work our way out.” He suggests.

 “Great!” Al grins, glad to have at least some sort of objective. The man starts forward.

“ _Can I help you two?_ ”

The sound of an unfamiliar voice causes the men to stop, before turning to the source of the noise.

“Welcome to Amarit Gardens. I am Mira, the caretaker of these grounds. And you two are?”

The first thing that Kahil notices about ‘Mira’ is her strange outfit. Specifically, it is the fact that her clothing does not seem appropriate for someone of her alleged profession. The flowing scarlet dress and jeweled headband are rather impractical. Combined with her long, dark hair and unblemished olive skin, Mira fits the mold of a dancer rather than a gardener. Odd.

“My name is _Ali_ ,” Aladdin introduces.

 _Oh, you’re using made-up names. Okay. Then my name is_ —

“ _Ansara_.”

_What kind of name is that?_

The newly-identified Mira smiles. “A pleasure to meet you both. May I ask what brings you to the gardens today?”

The former street rat shares a brief look with his friend before answering. History has taught both of them that they need to be careful about what they reveal about themselves. Especially with people who may be a little more than they seem. After Aladdin starts taking a pause that is too long for any normal conversation, Kahil decides to take the helm.

“We’re actually here to see a special species of yellow flower. Some people consider them the most beautiful in the world?”

Mira giggles. The noise sounds like little bells ringing. Weird again. “I’m not exactly sure that fact is true. But I can take you to see them.” Immediately, the young woman turns around, beckoning them to follow. The wind rustles the trees, perfuming the air around her with the scent of flowers. What are you, a princess? “Follow me,” she instructs.

Throwing a quick glance at Aladdin, Kahil obeys and steps forward. His best friend follows behind him, no doubt trying to discern whether or not Mira will sell them the flowers. Though in all actuality, her opinions aren’t that big of a problem when it comes to them procuring the plants.

The former _djinni_ hopes that she will. While the severity of the situation means that they need the flowers at any cost, stealing is just one of those things that he doesn’t like supporting.

* * *

 As the spouse of a former—or _current_ thief if he decides to go that route—Jasmine knows about the clandestine crimes and dark dealings done in Agrabah. Despite his long history in the realm—or perhaps because of it—Aladdin does not like discussing the actions he did while living on the streets. The sultan of Agrabah assures herself that every crime he committed was so he could simply survive, but a little nagging voice continues to highlight the legal immorality of it all. Since becoming sultan, she has learned to focus on the present and not the past. But regret is a natural part of being human.

Many times, she tried to convince her father to let her see outside the palace walls. She does not blame him for his actions, but sometimes she wonders what might have happened if she had tried a little harder.

Visiting the dungeons always reminds her of what did, and what could continue to happen if she doesn’t act.

Jasmine shakes her head. She pushes those thoughts to the side, and refocuses on the papers in front of her. The sultan manages an entire minute of work before someone knocks on the door. Rajah leaps to his paws, his fur rising at the sound.

“Come in!” she calls, sighing softly. 

The door opens to reveal the captain of the royal guard. There is a solemn look on his face.

“Hakim?” The sultan states, instantly standing. “Is there something wrong?”

“It is the prisoner, my sultan. She seems to have lost her memory.”

Jasmine blinks. “Lost her memory?” she asks, puzzled. “How is that possible? Could she just be acting?”

“We thought so at first. But she stresses that her name is _Dhandi_ , and that she has no idea where she is or how she arrived here.” Hakim produces two documents from his belt, and presents them to his superior. “My sultan, her writing has suddenly changed.”

“What do you mean?”

The captain of the royal guard spreads the papers on Jasmine’s desk. “This is a note that _Sadira_ wrote a day before Kahil and Dahlia arrived. _This_ ,” he points to one of the documents. “Is something that _Dhandi_ wrote this morning.” 

Jasmine picks up the two papers. “The writing style is completely different,” she comments. The newer text is distinctly less neat in terms of penmanship.

“There is something else, my sultan.” Hakim announces.

“What is it?” _This doesn’t make sense, she’s probably faking it._

“Whoever the prisoner is, it is unlikely that someone as young as her would be such an adamant supporter of Jafar. In addition, the guards who arrested her distinctly recall her having light-colored eyes. Like the color of the desert sands, they said. The prisoner's eyes are dark brown now. My sultan,” The captain begins, seeing the bewildered look on Jasmine’s face. “The last time I remember a person’s eyes changing color—and not remembering what has happened to them—was when they were under a mind-control spell cast by the former vizier.”

* * *

 After walking through the garden for several minutes, two distinct thoughts come to Kahil’s mind. One, the garden is much bigger when you are walking through it. Two, this woman _really_ needs to walk faster. Honestly, if it weren’t for the fact that neither he or Aladdin know where these flowers are, he would have already abandoned their terrible tour guide. Zero out of five stars.

“So what interested you in these particular flowers, Ali? Are they for a particular lady friend in your life?”

Al’s face goes red. “ _I don’t_ —I’m _married_ , they’re for my uh, _wife_.”

Mira laughs again, the sound slowly beginning to grate on Kahil’s nerves. “ _Oh, I understand_. These flowers are quite beautiful. Did you know that they make a wonderful tea as well?”

Kahil swears he can see the sweat on the kid’s forehead. “Oh, really?”

“Yes. Not only is the tea relaxing, it is also an excellent remedy for health problems, such as fevers and poisonings. My parents, when they were alive, would always brew the drink for me.”

The prince consort manages to sound at least vaguely surprised. A beat passes, and the thought that it would be polite to at least _acknowledge_ the deceased family members finally comes to his mind.

“ _They_ … It was a long time ago. I was their only child, so the responsibility of the garden fell to me. I’ve been taking care of this place for a long time. But thank you, anyways.”

Fortunately for Al—and _himself_ as well, he has to watch all this happen you know—the conversation dwindles down after this. It is during this silence that the group finally arrives at their destination.

“The primary reason why these flowers are so rare is that the water that they grow in must be a particular temperature, as well as be as clean as possible. Given this, we keep them in this special building to encourage growth as well as protect them. Please, come in.” Mira states, directing them through the threshold.

The door opens to reveal a bright room. While most of the windows are covered with cloth, the material is sheer enough to allow ample light in. A large fountain takes up the majority of the space inside the room, two men working on it. Kahil bumps into one of these men as he examines the room, the gardener quickly apologizing and scurrying away with the other man.

It is to this fountain that Mira gestures. “May I present to you: the rare _river mirage_ ,“ she presents, moving her hand to reveal a pond of yellow water lilies.

_Finally._

“How much would it cost to get one of these flowers?” Kahil asks abruptly, not bothering to waste any more time. He stares directly at Mira, daring her without words to try and tell him _no_.

The garden caretaker smiles, the same one she has worn before. Plastic hasn’t been invented and yet Kahil thinks the material is the perfect comparison to her expression. Something’s off about her. “Why don’t you two have a seat while we discuss what exactly you wish to buy?” She states, lowering herself into a nearby chair. After a beat, the two men move to sit down across from the woman.

“What Ansara is trying to ask is whether or not you’d be willing to sell one of your… _mirage flowers_. A friend of ours is sick, and we need the flowers to make the antidote.” Aladdin leans forward in his seat, looking at Mira with a pleading expression. “Please. We can pay any price.”

Mira sits silent for a moment after Aladdin’s words, her face thoughtful and the smile gone. Finally, she speaks.

“I don’t want your money,” she declares. Before either of the travelers can speak, she is raising her hand to quiet them. “That isn’t to say I won’t accept other forms of payment.”

Both him and the kid blink. “Other forms…?” Kahil murmurs. _Wait, she isn’t talking about…?_

“Spices, jewels, silks,” Mira begins to list. “Anything that has a use other than just buying. Because of how isolated this garden is, coin isn’t very useful. Perhaps there’s something in your bags that we can barter.”

The two men look at other wordlessly. Kahil is not easily confused— _he’s_ the one who does that to _other_ people—and yet in the span of thirty seconds, this random woman has managed to do it. He stares at her, trying to figure out what exactly it is about her sets him on edge.

Eventually, Aladdin finds his voice. “Um, _okay_. Yeah. Let’s _uh_ , see what we have in here.”

The prince consort begins to dig through his bag looking for something to trade. The one time that he brings money is the time that the seller doesn’t want to take it.

“Nothing interesting? Well, what about you, Ansara?”

If she doesn’t want any of the stuff that the prince consort of Agrabah offers her, the odds that he, a mere mariner, has something are low. The kid’s gonna have to steal the flowers, it seems.

 “Oh, what’s that?” Mira suddenly asks, looking at his bag curiously. “Something _shiny?_ ”

 _The kid already offered you a bunch of gold coins and you didn’t want that. Besides, I don’t_ —

His fingers brush against something smooth and study. What is this? He seizes the entire object, feeling along its surface. Immediately, he realizes what it is. _No… It can’t be. I didn’t pack this._

“I want to see it,” Mira exclaims. The tone in her voice means that she is not going to take no for an answer.

Okay. Maybe he’s just going crazy. He’s just under a lot of stress right now and all of that is making him imagine things. Like Mira being weird and _this_ being in his bag right now. _Yeah._ That’s what this is.

But when Kahil puts the object out of his bag, he is greeted by the shining gold surface of the magic lamp.

“An oil lamp?” Mira states, pleasantly surprised. “I could use a new one. Alright then.” Satisfied, the woman stands and walks over to a small table. Quickly, she grabs some yellow blossoms resting on the table, collecting them into a small pouch before returning to her seat.

“So? Do we have a deal, Ansara?” The caretaker asks. Kahil’s gaze lowers back down to the lamp, hesitant and unsure. He doesn’t want it, doesn’t _need_ it, but he can’t bring himself to part with the thing. In his confusion, his eyes drift over to the person who returned the lamp to him. _Trust me_ , he says wordlessly. _Okay._

Aladdin snatches the lamp out of Kahil’s hands, and casually saunters over to Mira. “Well, okay then. If that’s what you really want. Are you sure you don’t want any of my stuff? I mean, _this_ is just a simple oil lamp.”

_Ah. I see what you doing there, ‘lil street boy._

“ _Yes_ ,” The woman replies assuredly. A sly grin arches across her face. “But this isn’t _your_ lamp to barter with, Ali.” She states, gazing at the other man. “It is Ansara’s, and he is the one I will do the deal with.” Clever girl. Fine. Whatever you want, sweetie.

“It’s a deal,” Kahil states, taking the lamp back from Aladdin. _Though, it’s not like you’re going to get to keep the thing. Sorry._

“Wonderful!” Mira claps. She presents the pouch to Kahil. Hesitantly, the man gives her the lamp, eyes still locked on the object even after it leaves his hands.

The caretaker of the garden re-dons the artificial smile. She switches the lamp to her left hand, and gets to her feet again. “Why don’t we make this official with a handshake?” Mira requests, delivering the question in a definite customer service voice. The former _djinni_ immediately decides that he wants to leave this place as soon as possible. Still, it would be impolite to decline her offer, and she _did_ hold up her end of the bargain.

Standing up, Kahil crosses the small space and shakes Mira’s hand. “Thank you,” the woman states, her smile quickly evolving from uncomfortable to downright creepy. “What an obedient little _djinni._ ”

_...What?_

In a split second, Kahil is forced to his knees, the pouch tumbling from his hands. The turban falls off his head. Behind him, he hears the sounds of someone struggling. Mira is parading in front of him, playing with lamp in her hands. The jewel on her headband is glowing a blood red.

“You know, I do actually mean that compliment. You brought me the lamp, all on your own. And I did not have to do anything beside sneak it into your bag at the palace and poison the tea.”

_Poison the…?_

“You were the one who poisoned the tea?” Aladdin exclaims. It is less of a question and more a statement of shock.

Mira begins to casually inspect the lamp. “Well, _I_ myself did not do it, per say. I hypnotized a girl to do it for me.” The sorceress lifts the lamp up, staring at it in the light. “A pity that it was not the sultan who got poisoned. Just some vagabond _whore_.”

Kahil’s vision reddens instantly. He strains to get to his feet, fighting against whatever spell the sorceress has cast. “ _You little b_ — _!_ ” His outburst is cut off when an invisible force hauls him into a chair. Chains emerge out of nothingness and wrap around his body, effectively trapping him.

“Kahil!” Aladdin cries out, now tied to a chair himself. The two men from earlier appear out of nowhere behind him. _Illusions_ , Kahil quickly realizes. One leans down and ties a cloth around the consort’s mouth, muffling his shouts.

“ _Kid!_ ”

A hand suddenly grabs Kahil’s chin, forcing him to look up. Immediately, he is met with a terrifying stare.

“I suppose I was mistaken earlier. You are nothing but trouble. Luckily, I am _very_ good at working with uncooperative people.” She pauses before returning her gaze back down. “Who do you think gave Jafar his staff? Or his book on the Cave of Wonders? Knowledge cannot be _stolen_ , little _djinni._  Only _taught_.”

“What do you _want?_ ” The former _djinni_ forces the words out. His heart is roaring in his ears. Smirking, the sorceress releases her grip. 

“Well, control of Agrabah would be nice.” She muses, tapping the surface of the lamp. Stop touching that, it’s _not_ yours. “But my primary goal is the same as everyone else. To escape the thing that even sultans and sorcerers are afraid of: _death._ ”

“Well, you’re out of luck then. Not even a _djinni_ bring someone back from the dead.”

“Oh, you’re so _cute_.” Mira comments. The plastic smile returns for a moment before being replaced with an unsettlingly genuine one. “I am not trying to bring anyone back. No, what I want is for you to make me _immortal_. I’ve managed to live for a couple centuries just by stealing magic, but I want you to make it _permanent_. Or else…” The woman kneels down to eye level with her prisoner. “The boy and the whore will die.”

There is a beat of silence after the witch speaks. She stands confidently, a smug smirk on her face. Abruptly, the quiet is shattered by the sound of increasing laughter. Kahil throws his head up, chuckling and completely deranged. And then, as if a light switch has been pushed, the laughing ceases.

“You’re out of your mind.” The former _djinni_ states, voice low. “I can’t grant your wishes.”

The witch’s smile broadens. “Oh, but you see, you actually _can_.” She holds the lamp up. “You already have the motivation. All you need now is a little _re-incarceration_ . And a special spell to make sure you _only_ obey _me_.”

At the sound of her words, the world freezes. Something cold yanks Kahil forward, forcing him to throw his hands out as he is dragged to the ground. Dazed, he looks around, trying to clear his vision. His eyes land on his arms. Around each of his wrists are large gold shackles that are frighteningly familiar.

_No. No, no, no, NO._

“ _Go to hell, bitch._ ” Kahil declares. The sorceress cackles, a dry, apathetic noise that sends shivers down his spine.

“I won’t. But thank you, anyways. Now…” Mira trails off, her eyes emerald green and _glowing_. Darkness is filling the room, magic flaring and surging into visibility. The fountain erupts into a blaze. Glowing arcs and symbols materialize on the floor below him, the lines crawling up forearms. Kahil struggles against his chains, desperate and so very afraid.

 _Dahlia, Omar, Lian: I’m so sorry._ The prisoner prays silently, staring directly into the storm. _I won’t be able to keep my promise._

“ _Shall we begin?_ ” The sorceress announces. Her entire body is enveloped in fiery magic.

The last thing Kahil remembers before his world goes dark is Aladdin screaming out his name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, that’s a long chapter.  
> Ali is pretty obvious, but the name Ansara is a reference to the late Michael Ansara, first husband of Barbara Eden. Eden was the star of the American sitcom I Dream of Jeannie, where she played the titular genie. Her then-husband Ansara played the Blue Djinn in the show. Bit of trivia: Eden the genie of the bottle (our blue genie’s girlfriend) from Aladdin: The Animated Series was named after Barbara Eden because of her role in the sitcom. Our blue genie is a little annoyed by that name because he didn’t choose it and it’s also a girl’s name in Arabic.  
> I figure that Genie would be really triggered by Mira’s actions because not only did she poison his wife, but she enslaved an innocent girl to do so.  
> About the ‘sultan’ VS ‘sultana’ thing: my personal headcanon is that it is only Genie who uses the term sultana because his knowledge of past, present, and future concepts means that he knows another sultana in history. Meanwhile, Agrabah has never had a female sultan, and so there wouldn’t be a name for it. Also, the role is traditionally male, and undoing tradition can be difficult.  
> Yeah, I put a greenhouse in the Aladdin world. The genie knows Jack Nicholson, it’s fine.  
> There’s a reference to Avengers: Infinity War somewhere in here. See if you can find them!  
> I imagined the yellow flowers as water lilies or lotuses. Lotuses are a sacred flower in Indian culture (the country that Shirabad is based on), and they actually have medicinal properties.  
> The lines that appear on Kahil’s arms are the same glowing markings that appear in his blue genie form.  
> As for why Genie didn’t recognize Mira’s magic, it’s been a decade since he’s encountered any magic and he thinks he’s just being overly paranoid.


	5. and they were roommates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Be advised that there is some blood and violence in this chapter.

There’s one story that Kahil once told that he distinctly remembers his kids _not_ liking. He doesn’t exactly remember the name: it was a while ago and he’s told well over a thousand tales. Come to think of it, _he himself_ didn’t even like the story and he was the one telling it.

Anyways, the plot centered on this king who was super paranoid about his losing his kingdom. However, everything the king did to protect his kingdom ended up having the opposite effect. By the end of the story, the kingdom had shrunk down to just the king himself. He was alone and the walls were closing in on him. The final scene had the man closing his eyes and simply accepting the inevitable.

Getting re-imprisoned in the lamp was like that, it turned out.

The first thing he sees after rocketing back into consciousness are brass walls all around him. Everything is eerily silent, a frigid chill filling the dark space. Looking down, he is greeted by gold shackles and billowing smoke.

_No… No, please, NO._

Tearing his eyes away, the man—he’s a _human_ , a _HUMAN_ —looks up. Though the area is no different in appearance from the rest of the room, he knows it is where the spout of the lamp is. _The lamp._ He’s trapped in the lamp again.

_This is just a dream, don’t think about it, you’re fine, it’s fine, everything will be FINE._

Something abruptly shakes around him, throwing him off his train of thought. It is not like an earthquake, but rather a subtle shifting movement that seems to go _through_ him. Though it has been several years since he last felt this sensation, he immediately recognizes it. His breath hitches.

Someone has touched the lamp.

* * *

 As he watches his best friend get dragged back into his prison, Aladdin’s mind instantly switches from panic to action. A single objective appears in his mind: _get the lamp._

Seeing that the sorceress is still focused on her spell-casting, the street rat seizes his opportunity to escape. Unlike Jafar, Mira has not seen it prudent to completely restrain him to his chair. His wrists are the only parts of him that are bound, and his feet are on the floor. 

Throwing caution to the wind, Aladdin rushes towards the nearest guard, tackling the man to the ground. The prince consort quickly recovers and rams backward into the other guard, the chair taking the brunt of the impact and shattering. Now free and the guards taken care off—they disappeared into _nothing_ when he tackled them, _what is this_ —Aladdin jumps out of a window, whistling loudly. Almost instantaneously, Carpet appears, carrying both Abu and a _scimitar._  

He’s not going to ask where the weapon came from. That is the least of his worries, and in all honesty, he _needs_ the thing. Leaping up beside Abu, Aladdin clutches the sword in one hand and directs the magic carpet with the other. He doesn’t really have a plan—he’s basically flying in blind and hoping for the best—but his single directive pushes him to act. Blasting through the same open window, Aladdin charges at the sorceress at full speed. Her back is turned and the lamp is in her hand. It is such a foolish and risky move that it actually _works_.

For a split second, Aladdin allows himself to revel in his victory. Then he hears the tell-tale sounds of magic crackling and the building quaking, and quickly bolts. Mira’s summoned a giant flying sphinx. 

 _When did my life turn into this_ , the former street rat wonders, speeding away from the monster and rubbing the lamp.

* * *

Another shift—this one more intense—shakes Kahil’s surroundings. Immediately, a familiar pulling sensation fills his entire being, dragging him towards his prison’s only opening. His body dissolves into smoke, his vision temporarily stolen. _Please be Aladdin, please be Aladdin…_

When he finally re-materializes outside, Kahil feels himself being pulled yet again, this time by the wind. A split second later, his magic cancels out the force of the moving air.

“I didn’t think that was going to work,” a voice confesses breathlessly. Sitting behind him, his fingers curled around the lamp, is Aladdin. Abu is by his side, clutching a scimitar. A _scimitar_. _Nope, not even gonna ask._ “Hey,” the kid gasps.

Kahil immediately releases a sigh of relief. “Hey yourself, kid.” _You’re okay, thank goodness, you got away from her._

A roar suddenly explodes behind them, causing to the _djinni_ to flinch. Whipping his head around, Kahil sees the source of the noise.

“That’s her, isn’t it?”

“Actually, _no_. It’s something she made with her magic.”

Summoning a giant monster to help you. A little different yes, but not completely original. Why do people think that waking up a monster means that it will automatically obey you? He’s been around for ten thousand years, and he’s never met anyone who likes their alarm clock. 

What was he doing again? Oh yeah, evil sorceress, right.

“I can’t help you, kid.” Kahil admits. “A _djinni_ …” he begins, before shaking his head in resignation. There’s no denying the sky-blue color of his skin now. “ _I_ ,” he relents, “can’t kill anyone.”

“But you can hurt people, right? Trap them?” Aladdin responds quickly, banking a sharp turn to narrowly avoid a fireball. Oh, that’s hot. The sorceress and her pet are gaining on them, tearing through the sky. “At least make it so that they can’t hurt anyone else?” 

The _djinni_ hesitates before answering, studying his necklace.They wouldn't be in this situation if he had just been paying attention. “Yes? I mean, I’ve done it before.” He remarks, recalling some of his worst masters. “But the rules—something is _different_ now. I don’t know how she trapped me in there again, but whatever she did doesn’t feel the same as before.“

Another roar erupts behind them. Aladdin tightens his grip on Carpet’s tassels. “We can work with that.” The man snatches the sword from Abu’s paws, substituting it with the lamp and shocking the little primate. “Hold on to that. If things go wrong, we might need a wish or two.”

Kahil grabs his friend’s arm. “Kid, you don’t have to do this. You’re gonna get yourself _killed_.”

“She already succeeded in poisoning Dahlia and turning you back into a _djinni_. Who knows what else she’s capable of.” The prince consort replies, his expression solemn. He wrestles out of Kahil’s grasp, hurt flashing on the _djinni_ ’s face. “That headband she wears, I’m guessing it’s the source of her magic. Like Jafar’s staff.”

An important memory quickly comes to Kahil’s mind. “Jafar didn’t need his staff after I…”

Before he can finish his statement, a giant paw swats at Carpet, knocking him off course. The jolt shakes the lamp from Abu’s grasp and it tumbles down. The _djinni_ does not even have time to react as he is forcibly thrown back inside his prison.

“ _Genie!_ ” Aladdin screams, reaching frantically for the falling lamp.

Kahil’s vision goes dark. A second passes and he sees the brass walls once again.

* * *

The magic carpet crashes into the ground with a loud thud. Both Aladdin and Abu are thrown aside, landing on the bushes. The man is the first to his feet, fumbling for his sword and trying to clear his vision. The world wobbles before his eyes. 

Is he imagining things or is the ground actually _shaking?_ Where is…?

“The lamp. Abu, _where’s the lamp?_ ” Aladdin shouts, searching around in a frenzy. Another quake occurs, followed by another, and then another. There is almost a rhythm to the movement, and the man quickly realizes that the tremors are not earthquakes but rather _footsteps_. Footsteps that are quickly increasing in speed. _Oh no._

A sudden chattering sound interrupts his train of thought. The thief looks down to see Abu waving in front of him. In the monkey’s paws is the magic lamp. Aladdin reaches for it at once, moving to release the prisoner inside. But as he is about to touch the lamp, a gust of wind snatches the object out of his grasp.

“I am impressed,” Mira remarks, sashaying forward. The lamp hangs from a loop on her belt. “It is not often that someone offers me a challenge.”

At her words, Aladdin raises his sword, ready to defend himself. Abu leaps to his shoulder, poised to assist his friend in any way he can. The sorceress grins wickedly, an amused expression on her face.

“A _sword?_ What an utterly _barbaric_ weapon. But who am I to judge?” Fingertips igniting, Mira summons a sword of her own out of thin air. She lowers herself into a fighting stance, her cold eyes narrowed. “If this is how you wish to die, then I will certainly oblige.” The sorceress says, evil dripping from her tone. A single heartbeat is the only notice she gives before darting towards Aladdin with her blade flashing.

Mira is quick, but thieves only succeed by being faster.

Raising his sword, Aladdin parries the blow. The clash of blades makes him recoil and leaves his ears ringing. That attack was powerful, and had he not blocked it, it would have proven fatal. Silently, he thanks Hakim for giving him those swordsmanship lessons.

Adjusting his grip, the thief readies his weapon again and dashes forward to greet his opponent in a deadly dance.

Though she appears to be an innocent and fragile maiden, Mira is anything but. Her attacks come hard and fast, each one seeking his life. But Aladdin’s defeated an all-powerful sorcerer before, and he has every intention of doing it again. He just needs to find the right place to strike.

Mira lets out a roar after having another one of her attacks blocked. Eyes glowing, she swings at Aladdin wildly, sparks of magic flaring from her blade. The thief ducks under her arm, rolling forward and dodging her sword. However, the magic in the air sizzles his skin, burning the exposed skin in his torn shirt. While Aladdin manages to endure the pain, grinding his teeth instead of audibly reacting, a nearby yelp draws his attention.

“ _Abu!_ Are you okay?” Aladdin exclaims. The moment that he turns to check on the monkey something whistles through the air. He barely has time to react, the dark threads of magic narrowly missing his head.

“ _Die_ , you fool!” Mira screeches. Grimacing, the thief shrinks behind a crumbling stone wall, a thought suddenly coming to his mind.

The sorceress is powerful, more than Aladdin probably knows. But it is clear to him that she has not picked up a sword in years and her attacks, though strong, lack technique. She is unable to split her focus between her two mediums of attacking. Her pride has led her to an obstacle that she cannot defeat without her magic, and it will be her undoing.

Vaulting over the wall, Aladdin launches himself towards Mira, scimitar shining. Fortunately for him, the witch has still not learned her lesson since last time, stumbling backwards at the sudden collision. Dark red drips from a thin cut in her arm, the sorceress not swift enough to completely block the attack. As she tries to regain her footing, Aladdin plucks her headband from its place. He smashes it on the ground, scarlet wisps of magic escaping from the remains. 

Something in the air shifts, causing Aladdin’s eyes to water. He blinks back into clarity, confused. Beside him, Abu makes a concerned noise, gesturing behind him. The thief turns.

He is unprepared for the sight that meets him.

Mira is on the ground, her body writhing and convulsing in unnatural movements. The sight makes Aladdin’s stomach turn, but he recognizes that this is an opening he can exploit. Running up to the witch’s side, he reaches for the lamp again.

A slight heaviness in the air is all the warning he gets before fiery threads of magic bolt at him, sending him and Abu flying. Looking up, Aladdin sees Mira back on her feet and unmistakably _changed_. Her dark hair has faded into a deathly white, and her once olive skin has wrinkled and paled. The sorceress looks at her body with a horrified expression. “ _You…!_ ” she begins. Even her voice has lost its youthful sound. “How _DARE_ you!” Her eyes glow a sickly green, fire burning at her fingertips. “ _Insolent boy! You will pay for that!_ ”

Before he can even process her words, pain rips up Aladdin’s body, forcing him to the ground and tearing a shout from his lips. The sorceress clenches one of her hands into an unsettling claw, causing another burst of agony to sprint down Aladdin’s arm. Abu screeches out somewhere behind him, terrified and concerned. Something warm suddenly runs down the man’s arm. Looking down, he sees a huge gash on his forearm, blood streaming from the deep and fresh wound in a gruesome manner.

He feels light-headed.

The sorceress stomps forward, yanking a chunk of Aladdin’s hair and forcing him to look up. “Perhaps if things had been different, I would have allowed you to live,” she whispers, voice devoid of sympathy. Her eyes are like chips of ice. “You could have been an excellent servant to me. But now you have outlived your purpose and my patience.” Mira’s eyes narrow, blazing dangerously. “ _Farewell, Prince Ali,_ ” she sneers, unleashing fire on the helpless man.

Caught in the thrill of burning Aladdin alive, Mira does not notice the monkey or carpet sneaking by her feet. The latter surges forward, coiling around the witch’s legs and hauling her lower half backwards. Unprepared, Mira crashes face first into the ground, the fire around Aladdin flickering out of existence.

She stands up a second later. “You will regret that.” The sorceress threatens, before unloading a scarlet inferno on the magical rug. Carpet flops to the ground, the stench of ash and burning fabric filling the air. Aladdin screams out behind her.

“ _Miserable pet,_ ” Mira comments, watching the last of the enchanted cloth burn up. She cackles wickedly before lowering her hands. Immediately a puzzled expression appears on her face. _Something is wrong._

The sorceress whips around, eyes searching frantically. Her eyes go wide with alarm. “ _No…_ ” she gasps, reaching for her belt. The loop is torn.

“For my first wish...” Aladdin begins, lamp clutched in his hands and Abu perched on his shoulder. His eyes are cold, his expression stone. The _djinni_ of the lamp looms behind him, an extension of his master’s shadow. “I wish that Mira would be stripped of _all_ her magic.”

At the sound of the master’s words, the magic instantly begins to churn. The wind swirls into a cyclone, tossing leaves, smoke, and dust into a circular prison around Mira. The sorceress rages against the magic, throwing her own spells against the barrier. “No!” she shrieks in desperation, watching helplessly as her magic is consumed by Genie’s much greater one. “You cannot do this! I am the _only one_ who knows the antidote for the poison! Imprisoning me will only kill the woman you desire to save!”

Aladdin simply looks on, his expression unchanging. Blood is still dripping from his arm, the liquid staining his clothes a dark red. The visible skin on his body is scorched an ugly scarlet. “ _Be quiet_ ,” he simply says, voice soft and yet louder than the storm of magic that seethes. “ _You’ll never hurt anyone ever again._ ”

Realizing that the man will not listen to her, Mira turns to the other party. “ _Djinni_!” she screams, voice muffled by the wind. “The binding I placed on you is _unbreakable!_ You will be trapped in that lamp for all of eternity!”

Kahil’s arms continue spinning, the magic growing with every movement. There is nothing anyone, not even the _djinni_ granting it, can do to stop a master’s wish after it has been uttered. Not that the ancient being _wants_ to stop the magic.

_Consider yourself fortunate that djinn are restricted by their master’s will. Because you deserve so much worse for what you’ve done._

“Not even your master can give you your freedom!” the sorceress spits, her magic now failing to respond. “Only I can break the seal! Only _I_ can set you free from your eternal prison! You will watch as everyone you love ages, dying as you remain unchanging! You will see _your wife die_ , have to _bury your own ch_ —”

The last ribbon wraps around Mira, muffling her voice. The magic coalesces in a cocoon that covers the sorceress entirely, wisps of green fire hissing against the blue magic. When the smoke clears, Mira is gone, her scarlet dress laying atop a small pile of white ash.

It’s quiet, Aladdin thinks, as he stares at the spot where the sorceress once stood. The danger now vanquished, his mind comes to a standstill, the world blurring. The ground abruptly rushes up to meet him, and he does not realize what is wrong.

“Kid? Aladdin!”

Somewhere, out in the distance, a voice shouts something out. The words fly over his head, the sounds disappearing into a haze. The man shakes his head. He knows that voice, who is it?

“ _No, no, no, no..._  Wake up!  _C'mon!_ _"_

There is pressure on his arm, the feeling of someone grabbing and moving it. His eyes sluggishly move, catching a glimpse of something blue. That’s a nice color. Someone he knows wears that color a lot. 

“Say something! _Please! I can't... I can't lose you._ ”

Exhausted and bleeding, he does not fight as his eyes fall shut. His mind descends into darkness, and he drifts away into the silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy chapter for you folks. Sorry.  
> Mira is loosely (and I do mean loosely) inspired by Mirage from Aladdin: The Series. And Mother Gothel from Tangled. Likewise, Dhandi/Sadira is inspired by the characters of the same name.  
> In the live-action film, Genie never says that he can’t kill anyone. But seeing that Djinni Jafar is unable to go through with his attacks on Aladdin and the country of Shirabad, I’m guessing that it’s still a restriction.  
> Genie’s comment that Mira is being a little original by summoning a giant monster is a reference to how several classic Disney villains transform into monsters to battle heroes. Including of course, the original animated Jafar.  
> The story at the beginning of this chapter is based on my limited memories of a play that someone told me about. If anyone knows the name of the play or story, I’d be interested to know.


	6. back at it again with the gold vans

Aladdin opens his eyes, slowly blinking from darkness into color. Instantly, he is greeted by sunlight filtering through the trees overhead. A breeze rustles the leaves, waving them gently. He bolts upright.

_What’s going on, did we win, where’s Genie?_

Remembering something important, the prince consort gazes to his side. His arm is completely healed, not even a bruise marking the spot where the wound had been. Abruptly he flexes his arm, expecting the appendage to groan at once with the exertion.

He feels no such pain. There is not even any dirt on him, his once blood-stained clothing impossibly clean and his skin unmarred.

Immediately a terrible thought comes to mind. How long has he been out for his wounds to have healed like this? Possibly days, _weeks…_ _Dahlia!_

"Genie! Abu!" Aladdin shouts, rushing to his feet. His chest is pounding as he frantically searches around. Carpet is _gone, how are they getting home?_ His legs suddenly feel weak, his knees buckling.

"Relax," a voice comforts softly. Hands are on his back, steadying him and guiding him to the ground. Aladdin's head whips up.

"Hey, kid." Kahil says, relief evident on his face. A split second later, the _djinni_ pulls Aladdin in for a hug. The two friends sit in silence for several seconds, simply content to be alive and together. “You really had me scared back there,” Kahil admits, voice trembling. “I had to use up one of your wishes. _Don’t you EVER do that again, you hear me?"_

The prince consort pulls his friend in closer. “I’ll try. Thank you, Genie.”

Slowly, Kahil breaks away. “No problem.”

“I’m guessing we won, right?” Aladdin states, after a beat. There is a small smile on his face. At his friend’s nod, the man sighs and flops back onto the ground. A moment passes by before he speaks again, confusion coloring his tone. “I thought you couldn’t kill anyone?”

A somber look passes over Kahil’s face. "I can’t. Draining her magic at all once caused her body to age so rapidly that she just sort of… faded away.”

A beat passes. “Oh,” the former street rat says. “I’m sorry.” _I never wanted to force you to kill someone._

“It’s okay.”

A chattering noise sounds to Aladdin's left, drawing his attention down. Riding on a fully repaired magic carpet, Abu leaps towards him, crawling on the man's shoulders in a frenzy. Satisfied with his friend's well-being, the monkey dismounts and alights on the ground, holding up the lamp with his tail.

Aladdin grins broadly before taking the offered item. "Cunning little monkey. We couldn't have won without you." The man turns his gaze to the flying carpet. "And Carpet, thank you so much for everything."

Abu lets out a pleased chitter. The carpet bows, his tassels moving in a flourish.

"So," the thief begins, shifting his attention back to the _djinni_. "How much time do we have?"

Kahil's expression goes serious. "If Carpet kicks it into high gear, we can make it there in no time." He turns away, eyes darting down. "I didn't want to leave until you woke up."

The thief is quiet for a moment. "Okay."

"The flowers are gone."

Aladdin blinks. " _Oh._ " _Oh_. The man looks dejected, before his eyes unexpectedly light up and he gestures to the lamp. "Well, we don’t need the flowers. You're a _djinni_ , I can just wish for her to be healed." The thief flashes a grin, confident and sure. “Yeah! And then I’ll use my last wish to set you…” he starts. His expression switches from joy to confusion.

Kahil looks down, a half-hearted smile forming on his face. He fiddles with the gold shackles around his wrists, his expression melancholy. Aladdin can only stare at him as realization dawns. One, two, _three_. 

The _djinni_ looks at his master, resolve in his eyes. “Saving Dahlia is more important. _You have to do it._ ”

Instantly Aladdin leaps back onto his feet. “ _No!_ There’s gotta be some other way! The lamp will still be here, right? I can—“

“The lamp automatically disappears to a new, hidden location a master completes his three wishes. To prevent _its_ …” Another mistake. “ _My_ power from being misused. There’s no predicting where it will go or how long it will be until someone finds it again.”

Aladdin gapes, fumbling for a loophole, any fallacy to exploit. “Maybe if I give the lamp to Jasmine, she can make the wish. Everyone gets three, right? And then I can—“

“And then how long until someone tries to turn me back into a _djinni_ again?” Kahil interrupts, looking directly at his master. His hands are clenched into fists, his breaths quickening. The sky seems to be oddly darker. “ _Huh!?_ No matter what, my friends and family will be in danger because of _me!_ ”

The _djinni_ of the lamp turns, his back to his friend. Aladdin reaches out towards him, a reply forming on his lips. “Maybe it would be better if you threw me back into the Cave,” the _djinni_ whispers, before wiping his tears and disappearing inside the lamp.

Aladdin shakes the lamp at once. “Kahil? Kahil!” he yells at the gold surface. Despite his shouts, the blue ribbon of light does not appear. Realizing that his friend will not respond, the thief moves to rub the lamp, forcing the _djinni_ to materialize. However, before he can complete the action, a thought emerges in his mind. He pauses abruptly. 

The diamond in the rough sucks in a deep breath, closing his eyes and opening them again. “C’mon everyone.” He finally says, gazing at Carpet and Abu. “Let’s go home.”

* * *

Omar is the first to spot the carpet as he soars into sight above Agrabah. Quickly, the child races to the sultan’s study, shouting out his observation as he runs.

“Sultan Jasmine! Sultan Jasmine! They’re here! They’re back!”

Without hesitation, the ruler of Agrabah rises to her feet, directing people into motion. She orders the necessary supplies brought to Dahlia’s quarters immediately, that section of the palace vacated except for a few select individuals.

When Carpet descends on the room’s balcony, Jasmine is already waiting there with her father, Sahel, Sadiq, Hakim, and the children. At once, she notices that something is wrong.

“Where’s Baba?” Omar asks. His little voice is fraught with confusion.

Aladdin rushes by the child, moving directly to his wife. “I’ll explain soon. We have to get to Dahlia now.” Before he can leave however, Jasmine grabs his shoulder, pinning him in place. Her eyes are both shocked and upset.

“Trust me,” Aladdin says. And somehow, for some inexplicable reason, Jasmine lets go.

The prince consort dashes into the bedroom, his eyes quickly landing on the woman laying still in the bed. Immediately his heart stops, a terrible conclusion forming in his mind. But then he sees the rise and fall of Dahlia’s chest, and relief floods his being. Turning to the group, he sucks in a breath. His gaze wanders to Lian and Omar—two innocent children who should have never experienced all this—and he slowly reaches inside his bag.

“I promise you: everything will be okay.” He states, unsure who he’s trying to convince. Or fool. Jasmine lets out a quiet gasp when he draws the gold object out from the bag. She is a smart woman; she has likely figured out what has happened and is just trying to deduce _how_. Ignoring the baffled expressions on the others’ faces—or how Rajah is suddenly looks ready to pounce at any second—Aladdin hands the lamp to his wife. The direction is given between them without being said. 

Jasmine hesitates before rubbing the gold surface. She braces herself slightly, preparing for the explosion of magic from the object. But nothing happens.

Aziz looks between his parents, confused. “Is something supposed to happen?”

His mother shares a look with her husband before resuming her movements. Her motions are more certain this time. Yet the lamp remains still.

With each futile effort, Aladdin’s face becomes increasingly anxious. Desperate, he snatches the lamp out of his wife’s hands. At once, blue clouds escape from the spout, spewing skywards in a spiral of shimmering smoke. The adults expressions switch into ones of astonishment, while the children only appear more bewildered. Rajah growls, low and threatening. Aladdin’s eyes are the only ones filled with sadness at the sight of the billowing magic.

_I should have done more. I could have stopped her from trapping him again. I’m so, so sorry._

Eventually, the smoke stops twisting. It consolidates into a solid mass, revealing the _djinni_ of the lamp in all his phenomenal, cosmic glory. 

No one utters a word for several moments. Until one person speaks, breaking the heavy silence.

“ _Baba?_ ” Omar whispers, staring up at the blue giant with a terrified expression.

Slowly, the _djinni_ locks eyes with the two children. “Hey, little man. Princess.”

Jasmine is the first to move. “I don’t understand…” she utters, confused. “How did…? I thought…?” Each of her questions makes Kahil shrink back slightly. He sinks down, his smoky tail brushing against the floor.

“It’s a long story.” Aladdin cuts in, sensing his friend’s discomfort. Or just the collective discomfort that has settled in the room. “The important thing is that he can heal her.”

“But don’t you need a wish to do that?” Lian pipes up. She tears her gaze from her father. “Masters get three, right?”

Aladdin hesitates before nodding his head. The pause is all his wife needs to know that it will not be that simple.

“How many wishes do you have left?” she asks, anxiety creeping into her voice. Her husband looks at her, his expression solemn.

“ _One,_ ” he says. 

_I can save Dahlia or set Kahil free. Either way, we will lose one of them forever._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What’s that? You want more angst? Well, okay then.  
> Credits to Cantare’s story The Man Who Freed Me on FanFiction.net for explaining the laws binding djinn. If you haven’t read it, it’s a superb piece of writing exploring Genie’s thoughts and relationships during the original film.  
> Given the circumstances of Rajah’s last encounter with the magic lamp, I figure he’d be a little on edge around it.  
> As suggested in the last chapter, Kahil’s appearance as a djinni is identical to how it was in the live-action movie. His appearance as a human is how he looks as the mariner at the beginning and end of the film. So as a djinni he’s got the shorter beard and top knot with the gold accessories, while as a human he wears turbans and has a fuller beard. Little contrast between the two for you.


	7. how do you know whats good for me!?

Minutes pass, and then an hour, the time slipping away with the sands of an hourglass.

Each time he sees Dahlia lying in bed, so fragile and still, the wish leaps to Aladdin’s lips. But when he touches the lamp, the smooth, unyielding surface below his fingers, he hesitates.

He doesn’t know what to do. He holds two of his friends’ lives in his hand, and he is supposed to choose which one to condemn.

Every crack and loophole that he’s explored has ended in failure. Even the old ‘giving the lamp to Abu’ trick doesn’t work. The only person the lamp will respond to is him, meaning that he cannot give it to someone else to make more wishes. Mira, that wicked sorceress, was successful in binding Genie to only one master, just not her. There is only one more wish left, and it is up to him to decide.

After a discussion with his wife about Dhandi’s fate—release her, she’s  _ innocent _ —devolves into a loud argument, Aladdin decides that he needs to leave the palace. Stuffing the lamp into a bag, he dons a cloak and ducks into the city, running to the only place where he can truly think.

* * *

 

The kid releases him in a place that he does not recognize. Kahil transforms into his human disguise at once, fearing the worst.  “Where are we?” He asks, studying his surroundings. The building is ruined, the stone crumbling and the ceiling replaced by a tattered red cloth.

Al walks over to one hole in the wall, looking out. The city is framed in the stone opening, a distant land far away. “Do you remember when we had that argument?” The kid states, still gazing into the distance.

“You’ll have to be more specific there. We’ve disagreed several times. Like on parenting advice, or what type of jam is the best...”

The prince consort makes an amused sound, drawing his focus away from the window. “After Jafar was arrested and the sultan gave me his blessing to marry Jasmine, you told me to come clean to them about everything. But I didn’t want to. I’d dug the lie so deep that I ended up fooling myself.” Aladdin comes down the stairs, stepping towards Kahil. His movements are slow and careful. “I was greedy. I was so afraid of losing everything I’d created that I went back on my promise to you.”

Silence descends on the tower. When Aladdin speaks again, his expression is bittersweet.

“You were ready to give up your freedom so I could be with Jasmine. Spend an eternity of imprisonment in exchange for somebody else to have a few years of love.” Aladdin looks up at his friend, his eyes cloudy. “ _ Why? _ ”

Kahil does not respond initially. He stares at his wrists intensely, deep in thought. Eventually he speaks.

"You were the first master that I ever called a friend. I guess that was enough for me." The  _ djinni _ twists a hand around one of the shackles, fidgeting with the unmoving band. He looks up. “You asked me a long time ago what I would wish for. Well, now I’m changing my answer. I wish to save her.”

For several moments, no one speaks. Then Aladdin smiles, a small and fragile thing. "Okay," he whispers, hesitant and unsure.

"Thank you."

The two friends both turn a nearby window, looking out towards the palace. Kahil raps his fingers on the wall, tapping to a fast-paced metronome. Or a ticking timer that is nearing its end. Aladdin draws a breath.

"Are you ready to go back?" the man asks quietly.

Genie drifts closer to the window. He places a hand on the wall, gripping the stone as if letting go means that he will be swept away in the rapids. "Just one more minute. Please?"

A beat. A suspension. " _ Okay _ ," Aladdin finally replies. "No problem."

* * *

 

The sound of the door opening fills the library. Immediately Aziz's head snaps up.

"Lian?" the crown prince asks, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." The sailor’s child answers, irritation coloring her voice. She paces towards him. "Don't you have royal lessons or something right now?"

Aziz closes the cover of his book, and pushes it aside. "Mama has instructed my tutors that lessons will be postponed for the time being." The heir of Agrabah rises from his seat slowly. "How is your mother faring?"

Lian takes a step back. "Why do you care? It's not like it's  _ your _ baba and mama who are suffering!" she screams, chest heaving. "Everything's just going  _ wonderful _ for you!"

The prince studies the girl for a moment. “You need to calm down,” he states gently. At once, Lian makes a sharp, almost strangled sound. Her mouth is wide open.

“ _ Well, excuse me, Prince Aziz! _ I’m sorry that my emotions about my mama  _ dying _ are  _ ruining _ your precious reading time! I’m not one of your servants, you don’t get to boss me around!”

Shock fills Aziz’s expression. “I never said… You don’t think  _ my parents  _ aren't  _ suffering  _ as well!?" He retorts. "They're losing one of their best friends too!"

"Well, isn't that just  _ so _ depressing! I can't  _ imagine _ what that might  _ feel _ like,  _ your highness _ !" Lian stomps towards the door, before abruptly pivoting back. "You know what? Forget your stupid library! You don't even have a copy of  _ The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor _ !"

The prince looks horrified. " _ The Seven _ … That story isn't even that good!  _ Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves _ is so much better!"

Lian blinks. And then blinks again. "You're kidding, right?" she states, deadpan.

Aziz pauses, surprised by the shift in tone. "No…?" Lian thrusts her arms down, her hands balled into fists.

"Sinbad's story has the perfect elements for a great narrative: dynamic characters, faraway places, and thrilling action.  _ Ali Baba _ is just about some thief!"

"While that is an adequate analysis," Aziz starts, a confident expression on his face. " _ Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves _ has all those elements and more. Clearly, you are mistaken." He finishes, crossing his arms.

The girl is silent for a moment. Then she sighs, backing away from the prince and swinging her arms. "Whatever you say. It's your right to be wrong." Eyebrows scrunched in annoyance, Lian plops down on the edge of the sofa. "Besides, my favorite story isn't found in any book."

"What’s it called?" Aziz asks, reclining as well. A nostalgia look appears on Lian's face.

" _ Aladdin and the Magic Lamp _ . It’s a new story that Baba told us on the way here."

The prince smiles softly. He looks down, picking at his shirt. "My baba has told that story as well," the boy says quietly. "It's my favorite too."

At Aziz’s words, the library descends into an unsure silence, two people trying to find common ground. Eventually one of the children speaks.

“I’m scared,” the sailor’s child whispers. Tears are pooling in her eyes, falling down her face in two streams. “I don’t want to lose them.”

The young prince makes a quiet noise, somewhere between sadness and understanding. A million answers form in his mind, but he does not choose any of them. Instead, the thief’s son crawls towards the girl, coming to rest beside her. “I am too,” he admits softly. He doesn’t know what else to say.

* * *

 

When Aladdin returns to the palace nearly an hour later, the guards are running and the servants are frantic. Though Jasmine’s expression is neutral, her tone indicates that the sultan is none too pleased with her husband.

“I’m sorry.” The man says, at least having the decency to look apologetic and guilty. His expression switches to one of seriousness. “But I think… I think we’re ready now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter for you today.  
> The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, and Aladdin are all stories from One Thousand and One Nights, also known as the book Arabian Nights. As a child raised on the ocean, Lian is biased towards Sinbad, while Aziz, the son of a thief, favors Ali Baba.  
> The place that Aladdin takes Genie is his hideout from before.  
> Of Kahil and Dahlia’s kids, Lian is the oldest. I imagine Aziz as about the same age as Omar. So the young prince is bit of a proud know-it-all, which I guess fits considering his parents. According to the novelization, Lian is nine and Omar is six. Aziz is seven.  
> Judging from both animated Genie’s and live-action Genie’s reactions to Aladdin drowning (how they both say that they can’t save their master without him making a wish), I assumed that a loophole cannot be exploited twice by a master especially if the genie is made aware of the trick. Like how you can’t unhear or unsee something how hard you try. Wishes function out of a psychological and sensory dynamic: a genie has to hear/see a request being physically expressed by a master and then the genie has to deem that request as a wish in their mind. It’s weird.  
> In the live-action film, Genie is shown in his djinni form when interacting with Aladdin privately. Combined with the fact that he only does his wish-granting when in this form, I’m guessing that the blue, smoky tailed one is his Shapeshifter Default Form and that he needs to revert back to it after a while. Meaning that he has to consciously make the effort to appear human.


	8. its wishday my dudes

Even after Sahel and Sadiq have politely stepped out, Genie thinks that there are still too many people in the room. He tries not to look at Omar and Lian as he hovers next to Aladdin, staring at his wife lying motionless in the bed. They shouldn’t have to watch their parents suffer. And yet, as his master readies a hand above the gold surface of the lamp, he is overjoyed to have the opportunity to see his friends and family one last time.

His daughter suddenly calls out as Aladdin is about to rub the lamp. “Wait!” She screams, grabbing the man’s arm. “Can we say goodbye first?”

The prince consort nods. “Thank you,” the child says, before taking her brother’s arm. “ _ Baba. _ ” Lian utters. The tiny word holds so much meaning, and soon he will never hear it again.

“Hello, princess,” Kahil replies, shrinking down to his daughter’s level and donning his human form. He turns his focus to his son. “Hey, little man.”

Immediately the children leap forward, into their father’s arms just like they always do. As if their mother isn’t dying, their father isn’t about to leave them forever, and nothing is wrong. He doesn’t need air anymore and yet his throat feels like it’s trapped in a vise. There are a million things to say—a million places to see and memories to make—and yet he has no idea what to say. What are you supposed to say when your world is going to disappear at any moment?

In the end, it is the ticking of the clock that pushes him to speak. His words are messy, all sense of charisma and charm lost, but he cannot bring himself to care.

“I love you both so much,” he declares, voice wavering and yet certain. He places a kiss on the heads of the two children, one last farewell gift. “Never forget that. Every moment I spend away I will be thinking of you two.”

“We love you too, Baba.” The boy and girl assert through their tears. “We won’t forget you.”

Reluctantly, Kahil separates himself from his family. Casting one final look over the group, he turns his focus on the royal family.

“Promise me you’ll take care of them.”

The sultana and her husband nod. “We promise.” Jasmine assures, tears pooling in her eyes as well. “We will care for them as we would our own.”

Kahil makes a satisfied sound. “Okay.”

Jasmine’s father steps forwards, placing his hands on Omar and Lian’s shoulders. He locks eyes with Kahil, showing the same pain in his eyes. The same loss. “Come,” the man says, directing all the children to the door. “It is time to go.”

A lifetime passes within a single moment. Taking the former sultan’s hands, the children follow him to the threshold. “Goodbye,  _ Agha _ Kahil,” Aziz says quietly.  A second passes. “Goodbye, Baba.” Omar and Lian whisper.

“ _ Goodbye. _ ”

The sound of the door closing is deafening.

Drawing in one last breath, the  _ djinni _ faces his master, his expression steeled. “Whenever you’re ready, kid.” He says, prepared to suffer his fate.

Aladdin raises the lamp in response. While the tiny piece of metal has brought happiness into his life, it has also caused so much suffering. If it weren’t for this thing, their lives would be so different. Its rules and bindings have brought them so much stress recently.  _ Rules... _

Suddenly, the prince consort lowers the lamp. The rest of the group looks at him, confused.

“Kid,” Genie starts, a hint of uneasiness in his voice. The lull is chipping at his resolve. “You have to rub the lamp and say the wish, remember?”

“I remember.” Aladdin quickly answers. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“Alright.” The prince consort places a hand back on top of the lamp. Slowly, he begins to rub the gold surface. “For my final wish…” the man begins. His eyes dart up, focusing on his best friend. “I wish…”

Do it.

“ _ I wish… _ ”

_ It’s okay. _

“ _I wish that Kahil wasn’t bound to the lamp!_ ” Aladdin abruptly blurts out. His expression is nearly as shocked as those around him.

“What did you—?” Genie begins. Before he can even finish his thought, a blue cloud suddenly engulfs the  _ djinni _ , cutting him off.

“ _ Look out! _ ” Jasmine screams, scrambling away from the glowing vortex. Bands of magic surge from the storm, forcing the group back. A tremor rattles through the room, causing everyone to stumble. The doors fly open, Sahel and Sadiq bursting back inside in a frenzy. 

Jasmine seizes her husband’s shoulder. “ _ What did you do!? _ ” The sultana struggles to regain her footing, one hand above her head fighting against the wind. 

“I didn’t mean to _ … Ow! _ ” The lamp suddenly flashes a bright amber, jolting the thief. It clatters to the ground, the light intensifying.

“ _ Aladdin! _ ” Jasmine shouts, rushing to examine her husband’s hand. Another tremor sweeps through the room, and the sound of something shattering fills the air. 

And then suddenly, everything stops. The cloud dissipates, revealing Kahil lying motionless on the floor. He is back in his  _ djinni _ form, his smoky tail uncharacteristically still.

Aladdin is the first to move. “Genie!” he exclaims, shaking his unconscious friend. “Are you okay? Wake up!”

Slowly, Kahil’s eyes flutter open. “Kid? Where… What happened?” The  _ djinni _ pushes himself off the ground, floating upright. His eyes suddenly go wide and he seizes Aladdin’s shoulders. “The wish! After  _ everything _ we’ve been through, everything I asked you, you still went back on it!?  _ How could you do that!? _ ”

A new cluster of clouds begins to collect above the  _ djinni _ , darkening rapidly. The wind starts to whip up, and the rest of the group huddles together, bracing themselves for the worst.

“Kahil...” Aladdin whispers, fear creeping in. His hands are raised in a placating gesture. The floor begins to tremble, the walls shaking.

His friend does not appear to hear. “ _ I trusted you... _ ” The  _ djinni _ utters, his voice wrought with both fury and sorrow. “I  _ trusted _ you, and  _ now _ —” Kahil chokes, tears now streaming down his face. “ _ Now she’s going to DIE _ , and there’s  _ nothing _ I can do!”

The  _ djinni _ drops to the floor. Immediately the wind stills. The clouds disappear, lost in their summoner’s sadness. “ _ Why did you make that wish, Aladdin? _ ” A broken husband chokes out, tears streaming down his face. 

For one endless moment, nobody says a thing. Slowly, Aladdin walks forward. “Kahil, I want you to look at me.”

“ _ Why? _ ” His friend snaps. Aladdin takes another step. “ _ Don’t _ touch me.”

The prince consort pauses, drawing in a breath. Jasmine throws him a concerned look. “Kahil…” Aladdin reiterates. “What did  _ you _ just do?”

Genie abruptly pivots, a sudden gust of wind accentuating the movement. “What did  _ I _ just do? Why don’t we talk about what  _ you _ just did!?”

“You just ignored a command from your master.”

“ _ So what?  _ You set me free! I don’t have to listen to you!”

“If I set you free, then why are you still a  _ djinni _ ?”

A hush instantly falls over the room. Jasmine and Hakim’s expressions are ones of confusion.

“What are you talking about?” Kahil retorts, glaring at Aladdin. “I’m not…” He trails off, the connection finally forming in his mind. His eyes widen.

“How is this...?” The  _ djinni _ finally utters, staring at his shockingly bare wrists. Wrists that are also sky-blue and covered with pearlescent markings. He looks back up at Aladdin. “How did you know that was going to work?”

His friend smiles, a small yet sincere thing. “To be perfectly honest, I  _ didn’t _ know. I just hoped. There’s a lot of gray area involved in wish-making.”

A pause. Then another thought comes to Genie’s mind. “If I’m still a  _ djinni _ , then that means…!” The  _ djinni _ disappears into blue smoke, reappearing by his wife’s bedside a moment later. Sucking in a breath, he raises his hands above the woman. His brows are furrowed in concentration.

The magic does not respond initially, the glimmering lights flickering in and out of existence with their creator’s anxiety. Eventually, the wisps stabilize, and Kahil guides their healing power into Dahlia’s body.

There is no reaction at first. The group hovers in a heavy silence, peering over the edge. Eyes watering again, Kahil clasps his wife’s hand gently, rubbing the gold band around her finger. A second passes and then the  _ djinni _ throws his arms around the woman.

Still there is silence.

“ _ N-No… _ No, you  _ can’t _ . Dahlia, wake up. Please.  _ Don’t go. _ ”

Buried underneath the embrace, eyelids begin to flutter open. A chest moves—up and down, up and down—the motion of life growing in intensity.

“ _ Kahil? _ ” Dahlia suddenly says, her voice weak from disuse. She wiggles out of her husband’s grasp, trying to get a better look at him. “Is that you? Why are you  _ blue? _ ”

Emotions overflowing, Kahil is unable to stop the laugh that escapes from his lips. Wiping away his tears, he tenderly squeezes his wife’s hand. “I thought it was time for a makeover, y’know?” He responds, voice cracking. “A little change of pace. I look good, right?”

“I think you look wonderful.” The former handmaiden smiles. Her eyes are watering as she places a hand on Kahil’s cheek. “Just wonderful.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for any OOC moments.   
> Based on both the animated and live-action films, it seems that Genie’s magic responds to his emotions (it’s more evident in the original movie). So Genie has an Elsa-style freakout in this chapter.  
> Agha means Mr., if my translation is correct. Please let me know if it isn’t.  
> On the subject of Aladdin’s wish, it works because he wishes that Kahil would not be bound to the lamp. That is, confined to it and limited to its rules. Kahil essentially ends up free (from both needing a master, being trapped in the lamp, and being limited by the rules), though he keeps his powers. In terms of trade-offs, Kahil has less control of his powers (the lamp acts as a power limiter/focuser) and typically can’t wield the same reality-warping magic used to grant a wish.   
> In the live-action movie, Genie stresses the importance of exact wording because djinn are free to satisfy a wish how they perceive it should be granted. Hence the whole “become a prince” VS “make ne a prince”. While a djinni is forced to grant a wish, they are only obligated to fulfill what was stated. Aladdin specifically states that he wishes for Genie’s freedom: he gets that AND becomes human, the latter of which was not mentioned in the wish. This is because Genie personally perceives freedom as being freed from the lamp and being human, something that he stated earlier in the film. As such, his magic reacted to fulfill that wish (which is interesting because the freedom wish in both the original and remake seems to be a wish that djinn do not personally grant, it just sort of happens, again hinting that their magic can be activated involuntarily). In this story, Aladdin, Kahil’s master, wishes for him to become unbound from the lamp (that is again, free/human LIKE BEFORE). However, Kahil states that he does not personally want to be human again, as he needs his powers to save Dahlia. So Kahil’s magic finds a loophole to fulfill his master’s words as well as act within his own perception of the wish.


	9. whats it like being tall?

As a former—not former, not anymore— _ djinni _ , he’s used to operating without direction. Planning isn’t really a thing in his repertoire: who needs to plan when you have phenomenal, cosmic powers to make anything happen?

Getting married flipped and turned that outlook upside-down. And having kids then took that perspective and threw it into a washing machine. Pro tip: if you want to have any semblance of order in your family life, you better have some plans. Being a father and husband taught him that real quick.

It’s not that he doesn’t  _ like _ the concept of a plan. Does that even make sense? Whatever. One of the realities of being a  _ djinni _ means that your actions—at least, the really big ones—are involuntary. You can always blame your master’s poor decision-making. And even if there are consequences, they are unlikely to affect you because you’re immortal and you don’t spend that much time outside your lamp anyways. Regardless, all of these things are in his mind as he finds himself contemplating his family’s future, after all of this. Somewhere in the midst of him thinking, he recalls something that a dear friend of his once offered him and his family.

“If you ever decide that you want to stay on dry ground, know that there will always be a place for you here.”

Once again, planning:  _ not _ his strong suit. This was supposed to be a simple visit, and now he’s seriously considering the kid’s offer.

There are advantages to saying yes, that much is obvious. For one, staying would give their family some stability. While they have never gone hungry at night— _ thank you _ —there have been times when food and water were scarce. The incidents are far and few between, but the thought of his family starving fills him with dread. In a boat on the sea, you better pray that you have enough rations to last until you can dock somewhere. Moving on, another benefit of living in the city are the educational opportunities. Though he and Dahlia have been rocking this whole homeschool thing, Lian and Omar deserve to have a formal education.  _ Djinn _ may be all-powerful, but they are  _ not _ all-knowing. And therein lies his problem.

He doesn’t want to stay because he’s terrified that someone will get hurt. That somehow, he’ll be enslaved again. That the bullet will strike true this time, and he’ll lose someone permanently. And even a  _ djinni _ can’t bring someone back from the dead.

Tensions rising, he vanishes from the palace. Arriving in the desert outside the city, the  _ djinni _ draws in a breath, staring across the vast dunes.

He flies around the desert for an hour. It is a mindless action with no destination in mind. But the feeling of the wind rushing by, of being  _ limitless _ , clears his mind. When he finally returns to the palace—his human form donned once again—he knows what his answer is.

* * *

 

There is a knock on the door. Seeing that Dahlia is occupied with her sewing, Kahil sets his book down and opens it a second later.

“Lian? Omar?” he blinks, slightly surprised. The father ushers the two children into the room. “I thought you guys were hanging out with Z? Did something happen?”

“No, Baba. We’re just tired. And Aziz is starting his lessons again today.” Lian responds, greeting her mother. “Hello, Mama.” The girl states, her brother echoing. She lounges on the sofa, Omar plopping down beside her. “Baba, is it true that Prince Aladdin said we could stay here?”

Kahil takes his own seat on a nearby chair. “Yes, he did.”

“Are we going to live in the palace now?”

The  _ djinni _ pauses before answering. “Well, what would you like to do?” he asks, glancing at the two.

Omar is the first to answer. “I want to stay.” He grabs a pillow on the sofa, kneading at it with his hands. “Prince Aladdin promised us that he’d take us on a magic carpet ride across Agrabah.”

Dahlia makes an amused sound as she walks towards the group. She reclines beside her son, wrapping an arm around him. “Is that the only reason you want to stay, Omar?”

The boy frowns. “ _ No _ ,” he begins, defensive. “Everyone is really nice here. And the palace is a lot better than our boat.”

There is a beat after Omar’s answer. Lian sighs. “What he’s trying to say is that we should move here. Living on a boat is really exciting and means we can travel, but there are a lot of good reasons to stay. Like the chance to go to school or meet new people.” The girl’s eyes twinkle, a thought suddenly coming to her mind. “It’s like a new kind of adventure.”

Kahil shares a look with Dahlia, a knowing look on both of their faces. Turning back to face his children, the  _ djinni _ smiles. “ _ A new kind of adventure _ …  _ Okay _ . We can do that.”  _ I can do that. _

Immediately Lian and Omar leap up and embrace their father. “Thank you, Baba!” they exclaim, joy shining on their faces. “You won’t regret it!”

Kahil tussles the children’s hair. “Don’t give me a reason to,” he teases. His children playfully swat his hands away before lowering themselves to the floor in front of him.

“Tell us a story, Baba.” Lian requests, eyes twinkling in anticipation. “ _ Please? _ ”

Still grinning, Kahil shifts forward in his seat. He surveys the room, studying each member of his family, before speaking. “Choice of words, princess. Do you want me to  _ tell _ a story or  _ sing _ a story?”

His daughter responds without hesitation. “Sing!” she shouts. “It’s so much better when you sing them!”

The  _ djinni  _ laughs, a sincere sound that fills the air. “Alright,” he declares, settling into a new position. Drawing in a breath, the father begins. “ _ Oh, imagine a land, it’s a faraway place... _ ”

* * *

 

The first thing he notices about the room is the giant, spherical orrery in the middle. The tiny orbs move on their programmed tracks inside, little puppets dancing for their master to see. Near the metal centerpiece is a pulpit of sorts, a book lying open on top with a thin layer of dust coating the surface. On the two visible pages there are pictures and texts referencing a magic carpet and a mysterious cave of wonders. 

Kahil reaches out and turns to the following page in the book. Immediately a quiet gasp escapes from his lips. Though he knows this information—better than anyone else in fact—the sight of it  _ here _ , in  _ Jafar’s _ study, makes him pause.

_ True to its name, the Cave of Wonders is filled with jewels and riches. However, only two such treasures can be removed from the Cave; attempting to take anything else will bring down certain doom. While the magic carpet is both a valuable and useful prize, it is the simple oil lamp that is the Cave’s greatest treasure. It is because of this lamp that any person who enters must be a ‘diamond in the rough’, for within this seemingly modest object is imprisoned an all-powerful djinni. Commanding unlimited power and bound to obey its master, the djinni is capable of making any wish come true. In order to summon the djinni and submit it to your will, a person must first- _

“Kahil?”

The sudden outburst catches Kahil off guard. He whips around, looking for the source of the noise.

“ _ Oh! _ Al! It’s you.” The  _ djinni _ quickly exclaims. A tiny movement of his fingers causes the book to vanish behind him. “What’s up?”

Aladdin steps forward, his expression casual. “Just curious to see if you were still in here. Dahlia and Jasmine are talking about money matters, and I decided to leave. Not really my thing, you know.”

“Mmm.”

The thief begins to run a hand absentmindedly along one of the sculpture’s arcs. “How are you and her holding up after all this?”

Kahil takes a breath before answering, his eyes clouded. He rubs at his bare wrists.  _ Tick, tick. _ “Best as we can, I guess. It’s…  _ different _ . Like I’m okay with some things and she’s okay with some things and we’re just trying to figure out where all of that overlaps. The kids are doing well, at least. They uh, keep asking me to do magic for them.”

Al removes his hand from the sphere. “And do you mind that?”

The  _ djinni _ ’s eyes dart down. “Not really? Honestly, I’m just happy to be with them. Part of me wonders if we…  _ I _ should have told them sooner about all this.” He states, gesturing to himself. “But there’s no point in dwelling on that now. At least they seem to be handling this okay. Better than me, I think. A decade is a blink compared to ten thousand years, and yet sometimes I wonder how  _ this _ was ever normal for me.”

A fragile silence descends on the room. Aladdin walks to the large window at the end of the room, the one that faces out to the ocean. “I think you and Dahlia need to start over. Not in the literal sense, but in the sense that you don’t try to live out the past. You both have changed and you should acknowledge that.”

Kahil lifts his gaze. “When did you get so smart, kid?”

The prince consort grins. “Since I started hanging out with people a lot smarter than me. Like this one friend of mine who told me to not pretend to be someone else.”

His friend responds with a smile of his own. “Sounds like a pretty smart dude.” The  _ djinni _ responds, joining Aladdin at the window. He studies the horizon, the crashing of waves below him a familiar sound. “This is a nice room,” Kahil comments. “It’s got a good vibe to it. But it needs a little… Hey, do you mind if I add something extra to this room?”

The prince consort leans against the wall, an eyebrow raised. “If this idea involves magic of any kind, Jasmine needs to know.”

A guilty expression flickers on Kahil’s face, drawing a sigh out of his friend. “I was planning on making it a surprise for Dahlia…” the  _ djinni _ mutters.

“ _ Genie… _ ” 

“C’mon, kid! Just one little secret? You just told me to start changing everything up!”

“Yes, and didn’t I  _ just _ thank you for teaching me the importance of being honest with the ones I love?”

The  _ djinni _ mumbles something unintelligible. Al throws his hands up, walking away.

“Fine! But if anyone gets mad, I’m blaming you. And please don’t go overboard again!”

A giant smile breaks out across Kahil’s face. “Thanks, kid!” he exclaims, before disappearing in a shower of blue smoke. “You won’t even recognize the place after I’m through with it!”

Aladdin runs a hand along his neck, sighing again. “That’s what I’m afraid of…” he mutters, trudging back into the hall and bracing himself for the worst. But there is a small smile on his face as he awaits what sort of chaos his friend is about to unleash.

* * *

 

A question is the first thing Dahlia says to her best friend once she enters the study. The sultan looks up from her papers, a puzzled look on her face.

“I haven’t seen him since this morning. Isn’t he supposed to be helping you move?”

The former handmaiden’s expression increases in concern. “He was. But we finished putting everything away a while ago, and neither I or the children have been able to find him.”

Jasmine places her quill back into its pot. “Maybe he’s with Aladdin,” she suggests. “You know how those two are. They’re like school boys.” The sultan pauses, looking thoughtful for a moment. One of her hands casually caresses Rajah’s head. “Are Carpet and Abu missing too?”

“No. But Aladdin and Kahil don’t need their help to get into trouble.” Dahlia remarks, walking forward and lowering herself into a chair. The two women sit in silence, an unspoken fact hanging above them. 

The sultan is the first of them to speak. “How are you dealing with all this?” she asks, concern evident in her tone. 

Dahlia fiddles with her wedding ring. “Overall, I’m just happy that he’s still here with us. That he isn’t bound to the lamp anymore. But it is different now.” The woman stops and folds her hands across her lap. “Sometimes, he will get this faraway look in his eyes like he’s remembered something important. But when I ask him about it, he doesn’t want to tell me. Other times, he will just stare at the children and I, as if he’s unsure that we’re actually real. ”

Jasmine offers her friend a comforting smile. “He almost lost all of you. It’s understandable that he’d be afraid. The best thing you can do is to be patient with him. He needs to adjust to this at his own speed.”

The former handmaiden makes a thoughtful noise. “I know. But I just want him to feel better. He deserves to be happy too.”

A sudden knock draws the women’s attention. Jasmine calls for the visitor to come in. The door swings open, revealing the prince consort.

“Aladdin?” Dahlia says, rising to her feet. “Do you know where Kahil is?”

“About that… He actually sent me to come get you.”

“Oh? Is something wrong?”

The prince consort starts to duck out the door, the beginnings of a grin on his face. “ _ You’ll see _ ,” he states, excitement creeping into his tone. The mothers in the room share a look, becoming two eager young girls yet again. 

Curiosity growing, Dahlia follows Aladdin down the hall, looking forward to whatever surprise her husband has in store.

She doesn’t have to wait long. A few moments after coming down a corridor, Kahil suddenly appears out of thin air in front of them. Both Aladdin and her jump back, startled.

“ _ Oops! _ Sorry about that!” Kahil apologizes before focusing on the prince consort. “Thanks, kid.”

“No problem.” Aladdin answers, looking amused. He turns around, heading back the same way he came. “See you later!”

The former handmaiden watches him walk away, a confused expression on her face. “Is he not coming with us?”

Her husband shakes his head. “Naw,” he states, taking his wife’s hand and guiding her down the hall, towards a lone door. “He’s just the messenger boy. I have something I wanna show you.”

Dahlia raises an eyebrow. “And what would that be?”

Kahil smiles. “That, my queen, requires you to first close your eyes.” Dahlia looks at him quizzically. “Please?” the  _ djinni _ adds. 

Though she still glares at him, the woman relents. In the darkness, she senses Kahil take both of her hands, guiding her somewhere. His movements are slow and gentle, clearly working to accommodate her temporary blindness. 

“Okay… Open your eyes!” 

The instant influx of light and color overwhelms her eyes, forcing her to blink for several moments to adjust. When her vision focuses and she can finally see her husband’s surprise, her breath is taken away.

The former vizier’s study is unrecognizable. The orrery has been removed, a simple table replacing it. A large, comfortable sofa is positioned nearby, and vases of red and yellow flowers are placed tastefully around the room. There is a bookcase filled with volumes against one wall, the lamp sitting unobtrusively on one of the shelves. But the best change in the room is the addition of paintings. The detail in the art is so lifelike that Dahlia lifts a hand, her fingers hovering above the image of a hummingbird.

“These are all from places we’ve been to…” She comments quietly, her wide eyes scanning the room. The woman darts from place to place, inspecting every little thing, before finally picking up a bottle sitting on the table. There is a tiny ship inside, its sails open. Dahlia’s eyes widen. “Is this our boat?” She asks, incredulously.

“Yeah.”

The former handmaiden sets the bottle down. She looks up to face her husband completely. “How did you do this? All of this?”

Kahil walks up to her, wearing a cautious expression. “ _ Magic _ ,” he utters, quietly. Like he’s  _ ashamed _ .

“Oh,  _ habibi _ ,” Dahlia says breathlessly, quickly throwing her arms around her husband. “It’s  _ beautiful _ . Thank you so much!”

For several moments, the  _ djinni _ is caught limp in his wife’s embrace. Then slowly, like a seedling bursting into the sunlight, he reciprocates the gesture. 

“ _ Welcome home, _ ” he announces softly.  

* * *

 

The waves crash against the sea wall, a slow yet steady beat to the bustle of the palace. Leaning against the windowsill, Kahil breathes in the salty ocean air, a content smile on his face.

“The seas look wonderful today,” he comments, turning around. Standing behind him is Dahlia, garbed in an ivory-colored dress with her dark hair hanging free. She beams back at her husband before joining him on the balcony.

“Yes, they are.” The former handmaiden reaches for her spouse’s hand, her fingers easily locating their usual place. For several moments, the two partners gaze out across the water, the horizon stretching out before them like a million different paths.

“So what do you think of my proposal?” Dahlia asks, breaking the silence.

Her husband glances at her, his expression carefully neutral. “I think a couple of things, my queen.”

“Such as…?”

Kahil turns to face his wife completely. It’s nearly time for them to join the royal family for lunch today, but there is enough time for him to have a little fun. Just  _ telling _ her answer is so  _ boring _ . 

Eyes sparkling, the disguised  _ djinni _ places a kiss on the back of Dahlia’s hand. “You’ll just have to wait and see,” he teases.

A pout appears on his wife’s face. “Oh,  _ come on!  _ You still won’t tell me?”

“Nope.”

“ _ Please? _ ” Her eyes are big and round. She’s doing the puppy face again,  _ don’t look at her. _

“ _ Nuh-uh. _ ”

Huffing, the woman crosses her arms, placing her back to her husband. Kahil chuckles, a warm timbre that fills the air. The noise proves infectious, and eventually Dahlia spins back around, a playful expression on her face.

“Well,  _ I _ think it’s a great idea.”

Kahil raises an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yes. You know I believe you and Aladdin about her being mind controlled. She doesn’t deserve to be punished for something she didn’t do.” The mother places her hands on the railing, leaning over the edge. “And she is a quick learner and hard worker. I think she will make an excellent handmaiden.” 

Her husband makes a thoughtful noise in response. Dahlia studies his features for a second before sighing. She pushes back off the railing.

“If you’re not going to tell me your opinion, then I suppose I will keep that  _ interesting _ bit of news that I just found out about our daughter to myself.”

Now it is Kahil’s turn to look confused. “ _ Interesting bit of…” _ He blinks. “Wait, what are you talking about? Is there something going on with Lian?”

Dahlia backs away from the railing, her hands raised. “There’s nothing! Nothing that would concern  _ you _ , at least.” She answers, sashaying away.

The  _ djinni _ reaches towards her. “ _ Wha? H-Hey! _ I need to know!”

“No, you don’t.”

“ _ Yes _ , I do!”

 “Fine! I’ll tell you!” Dahlia declares, stopping. A mischievous glint shines in her brown eyes. “But you have to catch me first!” She giggles, bolting out of their bedroom.

For one long second, Kahil simply stands there, alone on the balcony. Then he grins, a wide arc across his face. “Alright then,  _ sweetie _ .” He says, vanishing into smoke. A second later, a blue streak zips through the palace.

Dahlia releases a loud gasp as she is suddenly scooped off the ground and into her husband’s arms, her eyes wide with surprise. “That’s cheating!” she exclaims, but the grin on her face makes the accusation void. The woman suddenly shifts in the  _ djinni _ ’s arms, moving not to escape but to find a more comfortable position. She peers up at Kahil, her expectant expression a contrast to his confused one.

A look of comprehension dawns on Kahil’s face a second later. He pauses. “Are you sure about this?” The  _ djinni _ states, uncertain. “Just reminding you: there aren’t any seat-belts or anything, so if you let go, it’s not gonna be pretty.”

His wife simply nestles deeper, her arms resting on his shoulders. “You’ve been coddling me so much lately. What happened to the bold man I married?” she teases, batting her eyelashes at him. “Aladdin and Jasmine go on romantic flights all the time. Why shouldn’t we?” Dahlia moves slightly in his arms, a sincere smile on her face. "I trust you."

A beat passes. And then Kahil unexpectedly grins, looking to all the world like a cat who has caught a mouse. “Hang on,” he instructs, before blasting skyward in a burst of cerulean sparkles. The sound of laughter disappears into the wind, a husband and wife simply enjoying the time they have with each other. Below them, the buildings shrink into a hundred dots, the pair leaving that world and forging their own.

When they return from their flight, Dahlia’s hair is tangled and Kahil is still blue. Nobody says a word to them as they dash in late for lunch, not a single soul willing to bother the overjoyed couple. 

They all needed this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter left everyone!  
> Yes, Genie just HGTV’ed Jafar’s room (that room where Jafar pushes Aladdin out of a window).  
> I really resisted the urge to make Lian say “a whole new world” instead of “new adventure”. It’s cute (and cringy), but it doesn’t make sense because she would have never heard that song.  
> So Genie and his family move into the palace. I figure Dahlia might take of some of her past duties as a handmaiden (as well as training Dhandi), and Genie might be helping out Aladdin (I mean, he pretended to be Prince Ali’s servant/advisor pretty well, so yeah). Yes, they get paid to do this. As a handmaiden, Dahlia probably has a special set of skills acquired over a long career, like weaving silk and sewing and embroidery. I don’t know, I’m guessing. They had to make money somehow.  
> Again, Genie’s powers are affected by his emotions. He’s a bit out of practice, so he probably teleport spams everywhere on accident. Being a djinni-turned-human-and-then-back-into-a-djinni, Kahil probably has some weird character tics that are holdovers from his time as either species. Like djinn don’t need to breathe or sleep, but he does it because habit.   
> You might recognize the story that Genie tells his kids as Lian’s favorite.  
> Lian definitely has her father wrapped around her little finger.


	10. uh yeah, i sure hope it does

“And the  _ djinni _ and his wife lived happily ever after,” the teacher finishes, folding his arms. Below him, the children shout and stare, unwilling to accept the story’s conclusion. One young boy leaps up, his tiny hands curled into fists. His brown eyes gleam with protest.

“No! There has to be more! I want more!”

Seeing the child’s petulant expression, the teacher rises from his chair, smiling softly. “I’m afraid that’s all I have for you.” He states, glancing over the entire group. “But each of you can continue this story. What sort of adventures will you take these characters on, what kind of daring feats will you have them face? The possibilities are endless!”

The man claps his hands, ceasing the whispers and chatter that have filled the room since the story’s conclusion. Surveying to see if he has everyone’’s attention, he grins broadly. “It is up to you to decide where your story will end. Now go and write it! Tomorrow we will be going over the rule of Sultan Jasmine, the sultan mentioned in the story. Dismissed!”

Immediately the students rush to gather their belongings, eager to escape after a long day of lessons. It only takes a few minutes for the classroom to be vacated, the silence unusual after being broken by children so many times.

As the teacher begins to tidy up the room, he takes notice of one child who has yet to leave. It is the same boy from earlier, the same one who made an uproar at the story’s conclusion. Though now, his expression is one of quiet contemplation.

“ _ Djinn _ are supposed to be immortal, right?” he asks suddenly, looking straight at him. His teacher nods. “So Mira was telling the truth. Kahil did end up watching his family die.” The young boy adjusts his bag across his shoulder. “Right?”

The teacher wipes off the chalkboard, the dust forming a white cloud around him before subsiding. His gaze is focused directly on his student. “Yes,” he replies.

The child pouts. “But that’s not a happy ending at all! Everyone Kahil cares about is gone! He’s all alone! Nobody should be alone!”

Kneeling to his eye-level, the teacher places a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Nobody’s ever really gone,” the man says quietly. “As long as you remember them and honor their legacy, they can live on.”

At his words, the child looks down, his eyes clouded with thought. He picks at the hem of his ivory shirt. The teacher squeezes his shoulder lightly before letting go, a small grin on his face. “Don’t look so sad. It’s just a story. Come, your parents must be wondering where you are by now. If you’d like, we can talk about it more tomorrow. Okay?” 

Slowly, the young boy looks up. He nods. 

“Good. Now run along. You deserve to have some fun today!”

At those words, the child finally decides to leave. As he runs down the steps, the hustle and bustle of the neighborhood filling the air, he waves his arm in a clear goodbye. His teacher responds in a likewise manner.

“Have a good afternoon, Amir! See you later!”

Walking back inside the classroom, the teacher begins to collect his personal belongings and begin his own journey home. As he starts to close everything up for the evening, he takes one last look through the window. No matter the time of day, the sight of the palace on the water, never fails to make him happy. Sultan Massoud—he’ll always be ‘Mouse’ to him, no matter how old he gets—did an excellent job repairing and preserving the historic building.

Drawing in a breath, the teacher closes his eyes, listening for something familiar. The rhythm of the waves—nearly lost in the chaos of his sprawling city—finally reaches him and he smiles, rubbing the little gold ring on his left hand.

_ As for you and your heart and all the things you said and didn't say, he will remember them all when men are fairy tales and kingdoms have turned to dust. Think of that, and be still. For no matter how much you may grieve or regret, remember that it is good to have known love. _

“He reminds me of you, Dahlia.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that the ending isn't going to exactly be what some of you expect. Honestly, it's pretty depressing. However, I left the story open-ended enough with the time skip so that in the rare case that I decide to write a sequel, I can. But I don't plan on writing more, unless I get really inspired. I'd rather let the story end on something I'm proud of, instead of struggling to write something that isn't going to be my best work. To all my readers, thank you so much for joining me on this ride. This is probably one of the fastest things I’ve conceptualized and written, and so I apologize for any mistakes. My sincerest thanks to Disney, my beta readers, Will Smith, and the great Robin Williams. Actual chapter notes coming at you below.
> 
> Sultan Massoud is a reference to Mena Massoud, the actor who played Aladdin in the 2019 live-action remake.   
> What do two people say to each other when they are married? Their wedding vows where they pledge themselves to one another. In other words, an oath. And what are Genie’s first words in the live-action film?  
> The second to last paragraph is inspired by Peter S. Beagle’s The Last Unicorn, a story of an immortal creature who experiences love, aging, and regret.  
> Another summary for this fic: the story of how the genie of the lamp became the genie of the ring.


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